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Anyone Could Be Arrested: What You Need To Know

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There are some things that many of us completely fail to properly research, primarily for the fact that we don’t believe that we could ever find ourselves in that situation. But the truth is that you never quite know what is going to happen in your life, and you need to be prepared for everything that might happen. One example of this is being arrested. You might well think that, because you are not planning on doing anything illegal, you will never get arrested. But of course, you don’t know what’s going to happen, and the police have been known to arrest the wrong person. All it takes is being in the wrong place at the wrong time. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what you need to know about being arrested, so you can be as prepared for it as possible.

The Procedure

It is helpful to know what the procedure is for being arrested, as this way you can appreciate what it going to happen a lot more. It also means that you will be able to spot if the police officer does anything that is not quite right, or indeed doesn’t do something that they should have done. This is all going to be important information, so it’s good to be as aware of this as you can possibly be. When you are getting arrested, the officer must have probable cause for concern, otherwise they can’t just arrest you for no good reason. Similarly, they have to tell you what their suspicion is, and if they don’t do that then it is an unlawful arrest. They can then take you to the police station, where your belongings will be taken from you and you will be searched and placed in a cell or questioning room.

Your Rights

It’s hugely important to know what your rights are beforehand – that way, you will be in a much stronger position to be able to argue and fight for them. Of course we don’t mean literally fight in the physical sense, just make sure that you are arguing your case. You have the right to have your rights read to you at the time of arrest, above all, and without this it is an illegal arrest. You also have the right to a free phone call once you get to the station – this might be to a bail bonds service like https://www.caseclosedbailbonds.com/ so that you can get bailed out of jail as soon as possible, or it might be to your nearest loved one or next of kin. It’s up to you – just make sure to use it wisely, as you only get one.

Beyond that, you have the right to be treated with respect and to have your human dignity respected. You have the right to avoid coming to any harm, and to avoid abuse by the police officers, and you also have the right to water and basic comfort in the form of a chair when being questioned. If you feel that any of your rights are not being adhered to, then you should make a complaint after the fact. In some cases, people successfully take legal action against the police, and that is certainly something that you might want to consider if you are going to be able to get out of the other side of that situation with your dignity intact. See https://civilrights.findlaw.com/other-constitutional-rights/getting-arrested-checklist-have-my-rights-been-violated.html for more on rights.

Know these rights, and you will be in a much better position indeed – but that’s not all that matters.

Legal Help

You have the right to a lawyer too, and this is a right that you should be sure to exercise. With a lawyer by your side, you can be certain that you are going to be in a much better position on the whole, and you will find that it is much less concerning and worrying with their presence there. Don’t worry if you can’t afford one – by law, you have to be assigned one in this case, even if that is just the duty solicitor at the station. That solicitor is independent of the police, and will be there merely to offer you legal advice as they see fit. Making use of that advice is absolutely vital to ensuring that you have the best chance of retaining your freedom – which is of course all that you are going to be worried about here.

If you can know all of this, you should find that you are in a much better position overall, and you will be able to deal with what is going on much better.

Essential Productivity Hacks For Freelancers

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In an uncertain economy and unpredictable market, more and more people all over the world are questioning the real value of the traditional career path. While the baby boomer generation may have enjoyed the ability to join a company at entry level and work their way up to power, wealth and prominence, many subsequent generations work hard for long hours only to find that the ladder of social mobility has been kicked out from under them. In an era of wage repression where corporate employers deliberately allow their employees’ wages to stagnate to further their profits, it makes sense that freelancing might seem like the only sane solution to the fundamental inequities of the conventional career path.

But freelancing isn’t a free pass to a land of milk and honey. You’ll be 100% accountable for your own productivity, your own output and ultimately how much you can earn. As such, here are some productivity hacks that will keep you profitable, productive and (perhaps more importantly) happy and sane as you navigate the path of the freelancer…

Ration your smartphone use throughout the day

When you’re a freelancer, you’re a small business like any other. And the humble smartphone can either be a useful tool that helps you streamline your business, or it can be your undoing. Ideally, you should keep it in your desk drawer in a separate room and consult it only when you’re not working. Otherwise it can go from being a tool to a productivity-sapping distraction.

Keep healthy snacks and water at your desk

Your body is a machine. And like any machine it can’t run without energy. Yet so many freelancers go through entire working days powered by nothing but coffee. News flash, folks… coffee is not a meal!

Keep your blood sugar stable and your body hydrated to ensure better focus and concentration throughout the day. Ensure that you always have a bottle of water at your desk and some healthy snacks like nuts, chopped veggies and fruits or even dark chocolate.

Give yourself a break… actually, give yourself 2 or 3

As tempting as it may be to fight through fatigue and frustration to get your project out early, an exhausted mind is literally never a productive mind. It’s just not physically possible to maintain peak productivity without breaks. And if you’re not taking breaks, you’re more likely to drift into your social feeds when you should be working.

So take a few short breaks throughout the day. Use them to scan through social media, use that online casino bonus you’ve been saving, play some Fortnite, read a book or do anything that’s not 100% work related. You’ll return to your desk much happier and more productive.

Establish set working hours and keep to them

Finally, it’s all too easy to put in hour after hour of overtime day after day. But an indeterminate working day is a productivity no-no. It’s much harder to get work done by the deadline if there’s no deadline in place. This is why all freelancers need to establish set working hours and stick to them.

Not just for the good of their productivity… but for their health and happiness!

6+ Reasons To Move Abroad

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Many people assume that they will spend their lives in the country where they were born. But, that doesn’t always turn out to be the case. Some individuals find that migrating to another country will give them increased employment prospects and a better quality of life. Others may wish to do so to be nearer relatives that have already migrated overseas. If you feel that things in your country aren’t likely to improve in your lifetime, it’s worth considering a move abroad.

Of course, moving to another country is quite a big decision, and it is undoubtedly one that you shouldn’t take lightly! If you’re unsure whether planting new roots in a foreign country is right for you, here are some reasons why it may make sense for you and your family to migrate overseas:

1. Political instability

The sad truth is that some countries aren’t very safe to live in due to political instability. As you can imagine, living in a place where you are highly likely to get targeted because of your political stance or beliefs is dangerous.

2. High unemployment

Are you working all the hours you can but earning very little in return? And are there high unemployment rates in your country, especially for your preferred industry? If the answer to those questions is yes, moving to another country with better job prospects is a sensible move.

3. Family

If the majority of your family has already moved to another country in search of a better life, you may well wish to follow suit. After all; it can feel lonely when most of your family is living hundreds or even thousands of miles away from you. Family immigration isn’t uncommon in many parts of the world.

4. Mental health and wellbeing

It’s no fun living in a country that makes you feel mentally unwell. Unsurprisingly, people that live in parts of the world where it rains most of the year can often suffer from mental health problems. A move to sunnier climes is always good for the mind, and great for the soul!

5. Business opportunities

Are you an entrepreneur? If so, you may feel that you’ve exhausted all investment ideas where you are and need to move abroad. Doing so could unlock a plethora of business opportunities, such as for import and export of goods, for instance.

6. Healthcare

Did you know that the standard of healthcare in countries and even the cost of it can be a significant deciding factor for some people? It comes as no surprise that the level of healthcare offered to citizens in some countries is much better than others. In many cases, it can feel like the difference between night and day!

7. Education

Last, but not least, if you have young children, you may wish to move abroad for their education. Western countries, for example, typically offer better opportunities for learning than in third-world nations. Moving abroad to seek better education prospects for children isn’t as uncommon a reason as you might think.

Awful Recruitment Practices That Are Endangering Your Business

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People matter! This is true of any business in any sector. Therefore your recruitment practices also matter. In fact, they are essential to the survival and continued success of your business. That is why it is so important to make sure that you have an effective and efficient recruitment process. Sadly, in many companies, this is not the reality. A topic that you can read about and learn from in the post below.

Asking for an application form. 

Application forms, for the majority of jobs, are just asking for a rehash of all the information you candidate has spent time collating and organizing on their CV.

In fact, the issue with application forms is that they create an additional hurdle for those considering applying. Something that means you could be losing out on well qualified and suitable candidates. Just because they are too busy to dedicate time to repeating a task they have already done.

In fact, this problem may spring from a more profound issue where the entire application and interview process is seen as a test. One that pushes a candidate to prove how much they want the opportunity.

Of course, underlying this is the very unequal power relationship that the employer is doing a favor to the applicant in considering them for a job in the first place. When, in fact, it is more of a mutually beneficial situation, with the business getting benefits from the workers, as well as the other way around.

To that end, making it as easy as possible for the right people to apply is crucial. It may even require the removal of the application form altogether.

Taking too long to get back to invite people for interview. 

Applicants have lives, and priorities, and may also have other offers on the table. With that in mind, making them wait weeks or even months on end to find out whether they have an interview or not is not best practice.

Of course, issues with this can arise when your business has to perform its due diligence and make checks on those that you would potentially employ. After all, this can be a long time-consuming process itself.

Happily, there is a way that you can expedite this part of the process, and it’s by using services like Checkr background checks online. In fact, by setting up an online account, you can not only mitigate risk and ensure compliance but also make the processes of background checking much fast as well. Therefore ensuring that you don’t lose valuable candidates to attrition.

Not using personality testing. 

Also, when it comes to a candidate’s ability to function effectively in your business, it’s not just experience and talent that play a role. In fact, their personality type, usually defined by the MBTI scale, will be an essential factor as well.

In particular, MBTI testing can help you to establish how well new candidates will mesh within existing teams, as well as how they will cope with the pressures of the job. After all, asking an extrovert to spend hours a day on their own performing individual task is unlikely to pan out, and the same goes for introverts that need to spend all hours of their working day interacting with larger groups of people.

To that end, using MBTI typing can help you match potential employees to roles that would best suit them. Something that cannot only help to increase the likelihood of productivity but also of job satisfaction and the chance they will stay with your business for a long time too.

Not automatically updating applicants. 

Very few companies currently update applicants at each stage of the process. Unfortunately, sparse and infrequent communication can work against the recruiting company in the long run. In fact, if an applicant feels as if they are being strung along, they are much more likely to continue to search for alternative positions elsewhere.  Rather than dedicate themselves to your application processes.
The silly thing is that it’s so easy to update applicants at each stage of the process these days. In fact, it can even be automated via email and your company’s LMS, so it doesn’t take up any of your HR teams’ time at all.

This being an action that can help to keep the best candidates engaged and interested throughout the entire process. While also demonstrate to them that you are an efficient, professional company that cares about people as well as profits. Therefore one they will want to work for.

In The Face Of Death, We Are All A Little Awkward

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Nobody sold death better than Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse. Wouldn’t we all love to own the handbook for the recently deceased that’s pictured in the movie? At least, some might argue, we would know what there is to come.

Death, despite having been part of human history for as long as we’ve been on the planet, remains a mystery that we can’t crack. More importantly, it is a mystery that makes us feel uncomfortable. Not only don’t you know what might come after, but you are none the wiser as to what to tell the grieving family. In the face of death, we are all desperately awkward – and that’s nothing Betelgeuse could help manage.

Sending flowers is an art

There is no funeral without flowers. However, sending flowers is an art that is more difficult to master than it seems. Indeed, the flowers serve a double purpose. They offer you the opportunity to be present even if you can’t come, and they give the grieving family some sense of comfort. As such, you can’t pick the first flower bouquet you find. If you’re unsure of which colours are best suited for the occasion, most florists will offer a standard range of funeral bouquets. Additionally, one last flower tip: Leave a card. The last thing you want is for the family to try to guess who the secret admirer is.

Saying the right words

Offering your condolences is an awkward moment for anybody who wants to say something kind and ends up lost in an elaborate metaphor about the magical beauty of life in heaven. Sure, you want to tell them that life goes on, but you should leave the typical “they’re watching us from up there now” off the conversation. Ultimately, you can’t force religious snippets of wisdom onto people, especially if you’re not sure there’s into that kind of stuff. However, if you know and understand their beliefs, well-chosen words from the Bible for Christians or from the Qu’ran for Muslims – if you’re unfamiliar with the Qu’ran verses, you can find some tips on Muslim Moons – can be a source of comfort. Ultimately, it’s about saying what the family expects you to say.

Is there a dress code?

Funnily enough, there is no typical dress code for funerals. Jazz funerals in New Orleans are filled with vibrant colours. As a symbol of rebirth, you’re expected to wear your brightest suit. However, more traditional ceremonies prefer neutral, dark shades. While nobody expects you to buy a new outfit to attend the service, the family prefers a strictly formal outfit whenever possible.

How long should I stay?

Finding the right moment to leave is a delicate balancing act. If you’re talking to the family, it can be difficult to say your goodbyes. Ideally, the softest and most effective way to leave the ceremony is with a comforting gesture. A simple hug can say all you need to say and offer you a short window of time to leave. You don’t want to be stuck in an awkward position where you’re not sure how to tell your host that you have to go home.

Funerals make us feel awkward because nothing in life prepares us to deal with death. However, keeping to simple rules can save you many uncomfortable moments, without mentioning that it’ll keep the grieving family happy too.

What To Consider When Moving Overseas

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Moving to another country may be something that is necessary for many people for any number of reasons. The political landscape may be pretty dire in their country of origin, and whether or not persecution is something that action occurs there, very often a draconian policy can be prohibitive to many groups of people to work or maintain any quality of life.

There are of course other reasons that people move, it could be for a job,  to get closer to family, or it may be for reasons of pure wanderlust. Being close to friends and loved ones is vital for our health and happiness, and seeing and experiencing the world may be help many people to become much more rounded individuals.

If you are thinking of moving to another country then here are some pointers to consider before you take the plunge.

The Legalities

The fact of the matter is that family immigration is a complicated legal matter and is not something that can be done lightly. You will need to understand the immigration policy of the country that you are looking to move to. There may be requirements for you to hold a certain profession, or to be able to prove you have access to a specific amount of money.

Do plenty of research into the current requirements for an entry visa in the country you plan to move to. Find out if they are for an indefinite amount of time, and work out a plan for when that ends. You should also look into the countries relationship with immigration. It can be a hotly debated topic across the globe and the rights of migrants are in a state of flux in many countries. It is also worth trying to get a good understanding of the possible changes that may occur in the future of that country too.

Leaving Home Is Not Easy

You will have to leave a great deal behind you when you move to another country. This may include material possessions, but it will almost certainly mean leaving friends and family members too. Being homesick can be quite hard to deal with, and being thousands of miles from home may leave you feeling isolated. Think about how you will deal with this when you move. You will need to find new friends, but in a new place, this can be harder than you may imagine. This means putting yourself out there and trying to look for opportunities to meet with as many people as possible.

The Practicalities

Once you have arrived in your new country there will be a lot of things that you will need to do straight away. Obviously, finding somewhere to live is a priority. Get yourself a bank account set up so that you can start working and earning as soon as possible. Get a phone with a number that belongs in that country too.  Begin looking for work. Competition can be tough so you will need to put your all into making sure your applications stand out.

What a Mayor Does

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Every city has a Mayor. They are voted by the people at election time to be the figurehead of the municipal government council and oversee the day to day running of the council. But what does a Mayor actually do? There are many differences regarding what is expected of a Mayor as you travel from city to city, and country to country. And, depending on the particular city, a Mayor’s power may be stronger or weaker, say if the city structure has a council-weak mayor where the council has more powers, or a council-strong mayor.

We have done a little research and come up with a few duties that for the most part, a Mayor is expected to do:

Overseeing departments

As it turns out, a Mayor is responsible for many different things in the city’s government. Firstly, they oversee the running of the city departments such as fire, police, and housing, etc. The Mayor will be in talks with the heads of these departments frequently. They will discuss matters of the city, such as how to reduce crime and come up with plans and solutions. The Mayor is in charge of the transportation systems within the city. That means it is ultimately down to them to ensure that all the buses and trains are running on time. They are also concerned with environmental matters and are often promoting greener solutions, or creating zero emissions targets.

Planning Strategies and legislations

A Mayor, along with their councilors, will create long-term plans for the city. Including new housing developments, roads systems upgrades, and various other infrastructure. Due to the Mayor’s extensive knowledge of and understanding of the city, they are perfectly placed to make suggestions to the council on new legislation. It is up to the Mayor to provide information to enable councilors to make the best possible decisions for the people of the city.

Liaison with the people
They try to ensure that there are good relations between the people of the city, the government, and all the visitors that come into the city. The Mayor will often go out and meet people, Mayor Vauss for the township of Irvington, New Jersey, exemplifies this, he was voted in because he wants the people and the government to work well together. The Mayor of London, who is currently Sadiq Khan, has webcasts, so people are able to see what goes on in the life of a Mayor. He also has an assembly with the heads of his departments, which is live-streamed for all to see.

Economic developments 

The Mayor wants the city to thrive, so they will be leading talks about growth in the city and  attracting business. They are on the constant look out for ideas to bring investment into the city.

State of the City Address

In some cities around the world the Mayor will give a speech usually once a year to outline the state of the city. Within this speech the Mayor will explain any legislative proposals they have in place, and advise on new policy directions.

4 Huge Considerations You Need to Make When You Next Travel

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Travel broadens the mind and enriches the soul, and there are so many amazing experiences to be had when you choose to travel abroad. Now, if you are serious about getting the best possible outcome from your travels, you need to make sure you plan this in advance. There are a lot of things that you have to consider when you are looking to improve and enhance the process of travel and tourism.

Make sure you look at the different elements that play a role in helping you have the most complete experience. There are plenty of great things to keep in mind when you are looking into this, and you have to do as much as you can to boost your travel adventures. Here are some of the best things you can keep in mind when it comes to improving your travel as much as possible.

  1. Where are You Traveling To?

Think about where you are traveling to and what destinations take your fancy. There are a lot of factors that play a role in helping with this, and one of the best things you can do is to choose somewhere you’ve never been before. There is no better way to have an eye-opening experience than traveling to a brand new destination and having a fresh and unique experience moving forward.

  1. Have You Considered Moving There?

Another thing to keep in mind is whether or not you have considered moving abroad. If you travel somewhere and find that you love the place, you might make a decision that you’d like to live there permanently. This means looking into the process of emigrating, as well as finding a suitable place to live. For instance, you could check out this villa for sale in Mauritius if you are serious about living on this iconic island.

  1. How to Have an Authentic Experience

It is imperative that you do as much as possible to make sure you have a fun and unique experience, and this is something that you need to keep in mind. Generally speaking, the best travel experiences are those that involve going more local and embracing eco-tourism. The more you can do to focus on the culture and customs of a place, and really look at how to take things forward, the better.

  1. Flying Solo?

A lot of people like to think about the way they are going to travel before they are able to have exactly the right adventure. Solo travel is definitely an option, and this is a consideration that you are going to need to make. Traveling solo affords you more freedom, but there is also less of the security aspect being that you’re on your own, and this is something you need to keep in mind.

Keep these ideas in mind to help you plan and prepare for the best possible travel experience moving forward. This is something you are going to need to keep in mind when it comes to enhancing and improving your travel experiences. These will allow you to have an unforgettable experience in all the right ways.

How To Move Abroad On A Budget

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Moving abroad, whether for work or just to experience life in a new place, should be properly thought out before you make the leap. If you’re trying to make this leap on a budget, it can be even more of a challenge, but it isn’t impossible. Follow these tips to make a start on this adventure without the need to ruin your finances forever.

Find Work Abroad

The best way to make a move with your finances intact is to make sure you have a job lined up in your new home.

If you like your job, find out if your company offers any opportunity for you to transfer to an office in another country. Many large companies will happily do this, and some even offer work exchange programs. You could trade places with a colleague in another office who wants to experience your home country. If you have a more specialist role, you could transfer in order to train staff in another office too.

If you work for yourself, especially online, this can be easy to keep working when you get there, especially if you’re in the digital industry. Freelance careers like web design, copywriting or even working as a virtual assistant can all easily be done from anywhere you have an internet connection.

If you are planning to work abroad, you will need to make sure you have the relevant work visas or other permits to let you work legally. If you do need to search for a new job, try and secure one before you move, as this may be required to get your work permit. Your employer should then be able to help you with working out which permits you will need and how to get them.

You could look into a work abroad scheme to help you find work too. Volunteering is a great way to make connections for work like this, or you could look into a job like teaching English as a foreign language. If you have skills in a specific industry, you may find it easier to find a job in countries in need of your skills. For example, engineers are often needed in Germany, whereas IT professionals are in demand in India. If your job is in an industry like this, spending a year working abroad can be well worth it, as you can earn good money. You can use your higher salary to save hard and put towards something like a house deposit when you get home after your year abroad.

Start The Visa Process

Make sure you start the visa process or arrange any work permits you need with plenty of time before you leave for your new life to minimise your stress levels. Depending on the kind of employment you’re going into, you might require a different kind of permit. Short-term, unpaid or work exchange positions may only need a tourist visa, but check first. Other positions will likely need a proper work visa to allow you to legally earn while you’re abroad. Visa needs differ by country, so check with a local embassy to find out what you need to start your new job. Your employer should also be able to advise you.

Find Somewhere To Live

There are often Facebook groups and websites for expats which you can use to help you find a roommate. Living with a roommate and renting a room rather than a whole apartment can not only help you to meet people but also majorly keep your costs down. Your work may be able to suggest an agency to help you find a room to rent in your new home city. Apps like PropertyGuru can also be helpful.

Prepare Your Finances

No matter how budget savvy you are, moving is always going to be expensive. You’re going to need some savings to help you through and to learn how to budget. If you’re low on funds, selling your old stuff can be a great way to raise some money. You’re likely to want to slim down your possessions anyway if you’re preparing for a big move, so you might as well sell on these items either on eBay or at a yard sale to earn some spare cash to fund the big move. Save some money by cooking at home more often, and choosing to invite friends round instead of going out. Find some ways to save some cash so you can start your new life abroad, without being saddled with debt as soon as you get there.

Why Everyone Needs To Try Gaming

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The gaming industry is huge, and it’s one that is never going to slow down anytime soon. As the demand for more and more advancements in technology increases, the standard of our games are only getting more life-like than ever before. But why should you try gaming? Here are some reasons as to why gaming can be beneficial for everyone.

It Challenges You

With most types of gaming, they challenge a part of your brain without you even realizing. From having to memorize certain aspects of the game for later on, to having a quicker reaction time in order to take out an enemy in the game before they kill you. There are so many elements to a game that can challenge you, and that’s really good for your brain to be receiving. The more challenges and activities you can deliver to your brain, the better, and that only becomes more important as you get older. So you may enjoy playing a certain game on your own or with a friend.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with doing that even if you’re a parent or have children who’ve flown the nest. As we get older, we tend to lose more of our skills because we simply become more fearful of things, or we lose our memories.

A Great Way To Bond With Others

Being able to enjoy something with another person is a healthy thing regardless of whether you’re going to the gym with a friend or beating them on an online game. It’s a great opportunity for you to make new friends when playing with others around the world. But at the same time, it’s good to help build relationships and memories that you already had with those friends in your real life. It’s important that whatever you’re playing, whether it’s the anonymous online bookmaker Azino.cc or a role-playing action game, that you still retain your real-life friendships.

Makes You A Better Decision Maker

As these games improve your brain skills, one of the major influences that it helps your decision making. With many games, you have to make certain decisions that can affect your gameplay. That means that you learn how to become better at making the choices that will benefit you. That skill can certainly be transferred to many things in your life, whether that’s the personal aspects or within your working life. The better you are at making decisions, the fewer mistakes you’ll make in the process.

Improves Mental Wellbeing

Our mental wellbeing is certainly something we need to take more care of, especially as it’s just as impactful on our physical health. With gaming, your mental wellbeing can improve because you’re distracting your mind with something that doesn’t have really any real-life consequences. If you mess up, you can simply reset the play button and start over again.

Everyone should incorporate a little gaming into their life. There are definitely some benefits from spending time on an online game or one on a games console.

Preparing Your Office For The Festive Season

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It might still be fall, but by now you should already be thinking about the festive season. Depending on the type of business you run, it could be a busy or quiet time – but there are still a few things to get done before the end of the year. Getting organized now is the best way to prepare for the holiday period and ensure the usual festive stress and mayhem doesn’t affect your business.

Here are some of the ways you can prepare your office for the festive season.

Plan out the rest of the year

With a couple of months left in 2019, you’ll want to make sure that everything that needs to happen before the end of the year gets done. If there are targets that need to be met or there are end-of-year tasks that always get left until the last minute, start planning them now. Here’s a chance for you to get ahead and enjoy a less stressful road to the end of the year!

If you’ve struggled with forward planning in advance, now could be a good time to bring some new tools into the mix. There are plenty of great online project management tools that can help you set tasks, deadlines as well as share living documents to make the planning process easier for your business.

Book your holiday party

If you haven’t booked your holiday party yet, it’s time to start planning! The annual holiday party is the perfect way for your employees to let off steam and get ready for Christmas. Your holiday party can be the highlight of the year, so it’s important to get it right. Planning the office Christmas party can be a lot of work, especially if you work for a large company.

Remember to set some ground rules for your employees – Christmas is a time to enjoy, but sometimes things can get out of hand when alcohol is thrown into the mix!

Set leave policies and ensure there’s enough cover

Everyone wants to enjoy time off during the holidays, but it’s not always possible in some workplaces. If you run a store or restaurant, for example, you’ll be expected to be open throughout most of the holiday period. It’s important to be fair around leave policies, and perhaps close on key days like Christmas Day and New Year’s Day if possible.

Using scheduling tools can help ensure shifts are covered and employees get enough time off.  Put rules for employee time off requests in place now so that everyone knows where they stand in the lead-up to the holidays. Completing your rotas now will help you get everything in place and allows your employees to make plans for the holidays.

Give notice to clients of any shutdowns

Many businesses shut down during the holidays, which can be a welcome break for everyone after a busy year. If you are going to be closing your doors, it’s important that you give your clients enough notice. Contact them to let them know when any final deadlines are and when you’ll be back to business. Unless you’re planning on staying on top of your social media during the holidays, you’ll also want to plan messages that let people know you won’t be active during this period.

As you approach your shutdown date, make sure you pay off any invoices that are outstanding and get your client meetings in place for the New Year. It’s always good to end the year on a positive note with the people you work with, helping you look forward to the year ahead.

Guard against flu season

While the holiday period is a time to celebrate and have fun, it is also the time of the dreaded flu season, which can cause a lot of problems or businesses. Sick days can cost businesses money, but it can make your business difficult to run – especially if you’re working with reduced staff levels during the holidays.

Taking steps to protect your office from flu can help keep your workers healthy. From encouraging healthy habits to maintaining a good supply of antibacterial cleaners, you can do your bit to stop the spread around the office. If employees feel sick or they’re showing signs of a cold, encourage them to work from home where possible to stop other employees coming down with the same thing

If you’re expecting a busy period, streamline your processes

Most businesses can identify patterns throughout the year to know when they’ll be busy. If your business tends to boom around the festive period, try forward planning now to help you get on top of things. By identifying ways to improve your logistics, you can save your business time and money as you manage the increased workload. At this time, you might want to hire some temporary staff to see you through this time to ensure you’ve got enough capacity to deliver what’s needed.

If you’re expecting a quiet period, get back on top

Meanwhile, other businesses can find that this time of year becomes quieter, with consumers or clients having less need for products or services. If this sounds like your business, use the quieter period to get on top of your workload. Is there filing or auditing that needs doing? Get it done before things get busy again – you may not get another chance! There are plenty of positive things you can do when business is slow, so take the opportunity to do something worthwhile with this downtime.

Look back over the year’s achievements

The end of the year is a good time to reflect and take a look back on the year’s achievements. Evaluating your key projects, as well as any other business successes, can help you celebrate the things you’re doing well and do more of it next year. It’s good to end the year on a positive note, and can help you establish your priorities for the New Year too.

Don’t forget to thank your customers or clients

The end of the year presents a great opportunity to keep your clients sweet and offer them a token of appreciation for their business over the past year. Many businesses present their clients with hampers or gift baskets as a thank you, as well as a reminder of your company. Corporate gifts can be affordable and creative, but even a Christmas card can be a nice gesture to keep relationships strong and start new conversations ready for a new year of business.

Find ways of rewarding your employees

The holiday season is a great time of year for rewarding your employees for all of the hard work they’ve done over the past year. Take the time to thank them for their efforts, as well as recognize individual achievements. Now is a good time to award bonuses if your company is able to do so, helping your employees have a great Christmas. For businesses that can’t afford to hand out bonuses, there are other creative ways to reward your employees to help them feel valued and appreciated.

Your business wouldn’t be a success without your employees, so make sure you repay them for all of their efforts by recognizing and rewarding their achievements. With a lot to think about as the end of the year approaches, it pays to get a head start. Make the festive period the best yet for your business by planning the perfect countdown to the end of the year.

Finding A Different Set Of Internal Priorities

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Much of our lives will be dictated and directed by the ideas we hold to be true, the values we keep, and also the influences we experience. For example, if we are in a negative social atmosphere, friends with people who drink too much and make excuses, odds are we can get into those habits too, never evolving, always being stagnant. It’s important to find a different set of alternative priorities from time to time, or perhaps to update your current ones and adjust them to your current life situation.

As we age we learn and grow, and we discard the bad ideas of the past. That is, this is what you should be doing, despite how difficult it can be. In the following words, we hope to help bolster you with confidence to this end, potentially helping you overcome your prejudices and consider just what values you may wish to live by. We hope that by using the following techniques you can become inspired, break past your own falsely held impressions, and begin to open your mind:

Your Highest Truth

What is your highest truth? Many people suppress theirs, hoping to find something personally restorative in other distracting activities. Perhaps you’d love to start writing a novel but you spend each night in front of the latest Netflix show. Maybe you wish you were kinder to people but feel that putting yourself out there is not wanted, and so fail to do so. You know what your main want is. You’re thinking of it now. Why can’t you take a minor step towards it? Doing so could restore you to health.

Good In The World

Finding what is good in the world and exploring that can help you become much more focused on a possibility, which needs optimistic exposure to get going in the first place. For example, an association for peace and education could potentially help you gain a clearer understanding of the interests and ideals you may wish to hold, and to see just what possibilities of common good can be focused on when you take the time to understand. Too often we fall into pessimism, but it’s these examples that can help us apply ourselves in a more forthright manner.

Withdraw From The Negative

If you find that you are surrounded by people who are defeatist and continually worried about their external environment, you may find this energy being sapped from you. Withdraw from the negative, from judgement, from pessimism, from a lack of action and a lack of care. Even starting to care about something simple is a defiant act, and it can help you become much more textured and positive in your thinking. Even if this starts with looking after yourself well, moving forward can be so much easier and will lessen your dread to a significant degree. This is important for everyone to experience.

With this advice, we hope you can find a more thorough and promising set of internal priorities. It’s never too late to try.

Creating Peace and Calm In Your Life

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We all want a life that is filled with peace, calm and happiness. And in reality that is all in our own hands. To bring peace and calm into your life, you need to really focus on what you want and how you can make it work. Which parts of your lifestyle are the ones that you want to change? Think about it for a while before making changes. In the meantime, here are some tips to help you.

Media Consumption

How are you consuming your media? Youtube? Twitter? Facebook? Are those things serving you? Unless you have spent the time to curate timelines that make you feel good. People that are spreading a positive message. Creative and inspirational people are typically happy people – because they are doing things that they love. Find people and companies that are doing good things like https://www.wopg.org/ or Good News Network.

Possesions

If you are in the habit of buying things that you think you need, but actually you don’t, then you need to break that habit. It is very easy to assume that possesions and what we furnish our homes with will make us happy. But actually, happiness comes from somewhere else. There are people in the world with much less than you have now, and they are happier. If you can see that you make purchases you don’t need to fill an emotional gap, then start adding a timer to your purchases. When you see something that you feel like you must have, add a 30-day timer. After the initial excitement goes, you might just find that you didn’t want it. It will help to break the impulse buying cycle.

Write It Down

If there are areas that you want to change. Then start writing them down. Take a look at them and consider what actions you can take to help. If you want to be in nature more often, for example, then make an effort to go to the woods at least once a week. Make it the non-negotiable activity of the week. If it is travelling to a different country, then write it down and start saving. Take action towards researching your goals.

Gratitude

Although you are in the space of change right now, you should still remember to be grateful for that which you currently have. Be thankful that you have a roof over your head, a bed at night, and people around you that you care about, and who care about you. Losing sight of gratitude can mean we take things for granted.

Slow Down

Start taking more time over the things that you are doing. Yes, the world is in a rush. There are deadlines, alarms, charts, scores and a lot of other things to be taken care of. But by tweaking your daily routine, you can create more time in which you can accomplish tasks. The more time you give yourself, the less rushed, you will feel.

Creating peace can happen when you take actionable steps towards what you want – become a doer.

How Can You Make Your Office More Impressive?

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It’s not just our business ideas — and how we put them into practice — that determines how our company is viewed. Those things might have the biggest influence, but they’re not the only things. Everything related to your business will have an impact. Take your office, for example. This is much more than a place where you get your work done. It is a reflection of your business. If you get things right, then your visitors, and not to mention your staff, will view your company positively. If you don’t, then it could have a negative impact. Below, we take a look at a few ways you can improve your company’s offices and make them even more impressive.

Think Branding

It’s important to remember that your office is going to say something about your business. As such, you should ensure that what it’s saying is positive, and really reflects your business. We tend to think of our branding as something that just influences our external communications, packaging, advertising, and so on, but this isn’t the case. Robust branding should exist from the ground up, and that includes your office. If you’re a young and cool startup, then it wouldn’t make any sense to work from an office that’s overly traditional, for example.

Decor Options

When it comes to our offices, we tend to think in large part about the functionality. Of course, it’s important to think about those tables, desks, and chairs that’ll help your staff to work efficiently. However, it’s worth remembering that there’s always space for thinking about decor and design. If you want to give your office the ‘wow factor,’ then look at adding things such as patterned glass, atmospheric lighting, and other decorative features. There was a time when the traditional, bland, grey decor of offices was probably what people wanted to see, but not anymore — now, it’s better to inject a little bit of personality into your office space.

More than Business

The working world is changing. Now, the lines between business and the personal are becoming increasingly blurred. It’s increasingly unacceptable for bosses to view employees as simply machines to do a job; your staff are more than their function. There’s an increasing concern for the overall well-being of employees, and also a shift from the workers of how they see their job. It’s not just a career; it’s an extension of their lifestyle. You can reflect this shift by ensuring there’s space in your office for things more than simply business. Could you add a games room, or a chill-out space, or even a place where workers can socialize together? Adding these touches will show that you’re a forward-thinking company that understands what the world of work needs to be better.

Natural Touches

We’ve more or less spend all of the time since the industrial revolution trying to put ourselves above nature, only to eventually realize that, in fact, we need as part of our lives. There’s a reason why so many people are deciding to put plants in their homes! And today, there are few offices more impressive than the ones that have integrated the natural world into their plans. Look at adding some natural touches, and you’ll show your visitors that you understand the creative and mood-boosting properties of the natural world. To really stand out from the crowd, you could look at adding an outdoor area, complete with a bike rack, vegetable garden, and seating.

Entranceway Reception

We tend to focus on just the interior of our offices, and that makes sense, since that’s where we’re working all the time. But when someone comes to visit your office, that’s not the first thing they see — it’s the third. As such, it’s worthwhile taking the time to ensure that the first two things they see are positive. The first is the outside area: it should well sign-posted and clean. The second, which is the most important area when it comes to first impressions, is your reception. This should be calm and well-designed and decorated with as much care as the interior of your office.

Bright and Spacious 

Finally, take steps to improve the overall feel and tone of your property. It’s much more impressive to walk into a bright and spacious and clean office, rather than one that is overly dark and dingy. Natural light shining through the windows and illuminating your well-decorated office will always go down well with your visitors.

With these tips, you’ll have an office that delights workers and visitors alike.

Why Do People Like Escape Rooms?

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Being trapped in a room and having to solve a series of puzzles in order to find a way out under a strict time limit, would for some people, be their idea of a living hell. And yet the popularity of escape rooms has risen dramatically in the past few years, even despite films such as Escape Room and SAW depicting the terrifying possibility that they could be used for more sinister means. So why, despite going against many of our natural instincts, are people so in love with escape rooms?

Well, firstly we need to look into the fact that escape rooms are a full body, immersive, game experience and a chance for a person to become someone else for the duration of the game. Escape rooms provide their participants with a real life gaming experience, an opportunity to engage with and simulate a popular gaming scenario. Just as video games have been dubbed as ‘addictive’ due to their stimulation of adrenaline, so are escape rooms, people love a challenge and quickly get hooked on the feeling of winning and outcompeting their escape room environment. Just as we used to enjoy playing hide and seek as a child, escape rooms appeal to adults looking for fun and adventure, with the ticking time limit and background fear of being locked in adding to the excitement.

The variety of escape rooms available also play into their success, ensuring that their is a game to suit any player. You can travel back to ancient Rome, fight off zombies in an apocalypse or visit a royal palace, the escape room provides the player with the option to be a part of any number of different worlds and to form their own character within it. From fairy fantasies to zombie nightmares there’s a style of game for all age groups and any number or players, making them appealing to a wide range of people. There are even games such as tiki palace escape room, where the objective is to earn more time in room by completing the hidden puzzles. People get a buzz out of different things, for some people the fear of being in the escape room in a horror style scenario adds to their adrenaline hit and the game is no longer simply about beating the tasks or the timer but about staying alive, for others, it’s all about the mental challenge, and the complexity of the puzzles themselves.

Another important reason why escape rooms may remain so popular is their ability to be played by a group of people, encouraging a feeling of bonding and teamwork as the challenges are overcome. As a social activity with a focus on teamwork and communication they seem perfect for group activities such as a hen or stag do, birthday parties or even work based team building days, companies love them as a way to view how their employees work in high pressure situations.

In essence escape rooms are a very clever activity that taps into a human desire for social, varied, immersive games that release regular hits of adrenaline and offer a feeling of satisfaction and pleasure. No wonder they’re so popular. Have you ever tried one?

Top Five Benefits of Online Casinos

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The world of online gambling is continuing to grow. Now worth over $50 billion, it’s clear that more and more people are starting to enjoy an online game from the comfort of their own living room. Not only do online casinos offer the traditional roulette, poker, craps and blackjack, but they are also now offering a lottery game. This branching out is just one of the reasons as to why so many play online casino games every single day.

If you want to get into the world of online gambling, here are the top five benefits that you can reap! Just remember, however, that you should only bet what you can afford and you should try to find out the terms and conditions that come with each game before taking the leap!

  • It’s Convienenant 

One of the main reasons as to why people live online casinos is that it makes gambling more convenient. There’s no denying that visiting an online casino can be fun. But why would you venture out to a physical establishment when you can play the same game from your home? Giving you more time to play the games, you won’t need to worry about getting in your car, on a bus or a train to visit a casino.

  • The Payout

With the popularity of online casinos increasing, the competition within the industry is ever-growing. Trying to offer you better bonuses and rewards, a handful is now offering tempting payouts. It’s a little known fact that the payout from online casinos is better than that of land-based casinos. This might be because they don’t need a physical premise – therefore they don’t need to pay for electricity bills, rent, etc.

  • They Offer A Great Selection of Games

As online gambling has become more prevalent, new and exciting games have been introduced. Yes, land-based casinos have a large selection of games. But online casinos offer a range of slots, poker, lottery and more options for you to choose from. No matter what your taste or budget, there is an online game for you.

  • The Bonuses

Online casinos have a great range of bonuses available online (an example of which is the eurocasino bonus). Giving you a reward for the first deposit that you put in (which can sometimes be a match bonus or welcome bonus), you will be able to have access to a wider range of games and be able to play for longer. Of course, these bonuses do have their own conditions, so it’s important that you research this before taking part.

  • You Can Choose Your Level of Stake

A key benefit of online casinos is that they give you the option of how much you want to gamble. Physical casinos, on the other hand, tend to set minimum limits as they have overheads to pay – leading you to spend far more than what you initially planned to. By giving you the option, you will be able to start the game low and raise your bets when you want.

How To Make Payment Easier For Your Customers

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Making it as straightforward as possible for your customers to pay when they are shopping on your website is vital for increasing sales for your business. It is why your checkout page is so essential. It is the place where your customers hand over their payment information and finally part with their hard-earned cash, helping you to make that all-important profit.

Here, we explore different ways to make it easier on both you and your customers.

Provide a variety of payment methods

Customers expect so much more than just traditional debit or credit card payments. PayPal, Stripe and various other payment methods are now expected, which you can learn more about. Up to 40% of people think that just having one payment method to choose from looks unprofessional and even suspicious, and would abandon their purchases and look elsewhere if their preferred method of payment was not available. This shows how important it is to have a variety of payment methods available to your customers.

Let customers pay without creating an account

Almost everything we do online now involves creating an account and registering. That’s fine – but think about the number of usernames and passwords we have to remember, and of course, it is recommended that we do not use the same one for different things for security purposes. Many people will simply give up if they can’t remember their details, so alongside a signing in option, allow them to make a purchase as a guest. If you do require signing in to make a purchase, don’t make your password requirements too complicated and make it simple for them to retrieve their details if they forget.

Provide reassurances on security and privacy

Whenever personal information is involved, you always need to go out of your way to showcase the security measures you have in place. Many customers have left a purchase due to having concerns about payment security. You will want to have a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate for your website in order to provide a secure connection and encrypt credit card information, and, if you trade within the European Union, you will need to make sure you are PCI and GDPR compliant.

Keep distractions to a minimum

Your checkout page is the very end of the sales cycle – the last step. With us having shorter attention spans than ever before, you do not want anything to distract them from completing the checkout process, such as no adverts. The last thing you want to do is get them all this way and then encourage them to click off to a potential competitor. Your main objective here is to see people through to making the final payment so eliminate everything else, including the navigation bar at the top and requesting only essential information.

Follow the tips mentioned above, and you will not only increase sales and decrease shopping cart abandonment, but also create an enjoyable experience that people will come back to and recommend family and friends.

Three Things Removal Companies Must Have

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Moving home is stressful at the best of times and when you’ve got a lifetime of memories to be delicately packed and shipped, you’re looking at finding a removal firm that knows and values how important your shipment is to you and your family.

It’s important that you find a removal company that speaks your language and that you can trust with your precious cargo. In this blog, we take a look at three things your removals company must demonstrate before you hire them for the big job of moving you across state.

Communication

The last thing you need when trying to organise a move is to spend hours on the phone to a company and no-one picking up. Even worse than that, when you do finally get through you spend hours explaining your query and are left unclear whether your problem or question has really been answered or not.

You’ll have a good idea from your first impression of the company whether they are going to be good communicators. How did they deal with you when you made your initial inquiry? Was the information they gave you clear and easy to understand? How did they handle any questions you had? If there are any red flags with any of these questions, consider talking to other companies about your moving needs.

Speciality

For the most part moves, long haul or just across town, are fairly straightforward. You have your key dates and it’s up to the removal firm to pack you and unpack you at the other end. But now and again you’re looking for something a little more specialised. This might be because you’re transporting fine art, antique furniture or because you have a piano that needs some extra care.

Rather than finding a general moving company, you’re looking for experienced piano movers. It might seem straightforward to move an instrument of this size but the awkward shape and the ease in which it can go out of tune or get damaged, makes it a job that only the experts should handle.

Give Options

Moving home isn’t cheap and your removal company should offer you options that reflect your budget. They should show the various options around moving insurance as well the different packages they offer when it comes to packing. You might choose for your removal company to pack up everything for you, from plates to shoes or you might choose to save a little money and do the job yourself, requesting boxes from them to do the job.

When it comes to moving home, you want the experience to be as stress-free as possible. Getting all the logistics in place so the move runs smoothly is hard enough, so you want movers on your side.

Shop around, pay special attention to the communication and what options your removal companies offer you and find a firm who matches your expectations and your budget. Get packed, get moved and get settled with movers that you can trust.