5 Ways To Become A Better Employee

The average amount of time spent at work is 40 hours per week, so why not make it more enjoyable? Becoming a better employee is a process that you can undergo for your benefit to make the workplace a more healthier environment for yourself. Having a job is great, but having a job that you enjoy is even better and it’s all on what you do to make it more enjoyable, this all comes down to the simple fact on ‘how you think’.  A job can only become bad, stressful or overwhelming because your thoughts tell you it is.

1. Attitude: Having the correct attitude for work is a major part of becoming a better employee, there isn’t a manager that wants to keep an employee that has a negative attitude when at work because it isn’t productive and will affect others around you. In life there will be times where you have to do stuff that you might find boring, hard or simply do not want to do. There isn’t much you can do but just accept the fact you have to do these things, almost every job role has some repetitive aspects and are routine and having a positive and open attitude will make these tasks not a problem at all. Having a positive attitude shows that you are always open to new tasks and reliable.

2. Skills: If you find yourself struggling at work with some of the tasks assigned due to lack of experience or because you simply do not understand it, you should always voice your struggles because there isn’t much point in sitting unable to do the work efficiently when help is always available from a colleague. Simply ask the manager or your trainer for extra help. If you are unable to do the work because you don’t understand it, the manager might be able to put you on courses where you can gain hard skill training, soft skill training or any general training you need. The employee and manager relationship is a two way street and it is important to always feel comfortable enough to ask people for help when needed.

3. Relationships at work:  Being in a workplace means that you will be surrounded by new people of all ages so it’s healthy to form fun, positive and motivating friendships with them because studies have proven that having good friendships with your colleagues produces better work efficiency, culture and team working ability. Being happy has knock on effects to other people for the better too, if you show positiveness, it will rub onto other employees too. Besides, you probably have a lot more in common than you think with other people and may even find life long relationships. In this process, you will gain valuable interpersonal skills which will help you throughout life.

4. Set goals for yourself (aim to be the best, not just to do the job):  Being a better employee involves more than just being a better employee at work, it involves becoming a better person in general. It is important to set goals to build your character, it is a good idea to always set the bar above to what is expected of you at work because your manager will see the hard-working ethic you have and that will result in all sort of benefits. This doesn’t mean overwork yourself and set unrealistic goals because that will end up in disappointment and  exhaustion. Stick to the SMART goals, your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound.

5. Stand out:  There will be times in your work depending on what your profession is where problems may arise and extra help is needed. This help may be in the form of labour, ideas or anything else, it is wise to go that extra mile for your company because it paints a good picture of you if you are willing to be the solution to a problem. This creates a sense of reliability and hard working ethic that is valued high in the eye of employers because they will have somebody on their team who is truly committed to the cause.

To conclude, you have to remember that becoming a better employee isn’t about just pleasing your manager. It is about you setting goals, working that little bit extra and learning those extra skills for your own benefits. These are accomplishments that should make you feel better about yourself and what you do. A better employee is a happier employee.

Bhav Seera has been working with London Management Centre since October 2015 and is a young aspiring digital marketer who is still eager to master the field. London Management Centre offers corporate training courses in London and Dubai in many areas, specialising in soft skills such as leadership, management, HR, PR, etc.

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Being a Better Manager: 5 Self Improvement Tips to Consider

Did you know that September is National Self Improvement Month? Well, now you do!

As a boss or manager, you’re probably spending most of your time trying to find ways to improve your business and improve your staff. Sometimes you might forget to take a look in the mirror to see whether they are things that you can change about yourself that can directly lead to making both your staff and business better.

That’s what Self Improvement Month is all about – analyzing yourself and setting goals that are going to make you better at what you do.

Becoming the best manager that you can be is an ongoing process. It’s something that you need to constantly work at, because there’s an ever-changing and evolving skill set that is required of a good manager, dictated by the fast-changing landscape of the modern workplace.

Not sure where to start? Here are a ideas to consider if you are looking to become a better manager for the sake of your business and your employees.

Improve the Way You Offer Feedback

Offering feedback, whether it’s criticism or praise, has practically become an art form. It’s something that just about any manager can stand to improve on, simply because there are many fine lines that need to be tiptoed in the process.

No matter how you go about offering feedback, you need to make sure that it’s constructive above all else. This is where you probably come to the finest line of all – the line between being overly critical and constructive. Tempers may flair in the workplace, employees might be underachieving, but that’s something that every manager has to figure out how to deal with the right way.

And while you might believe that you are going about it the correct way, you’d be surprised at how many times the employee’s perception of your approach is much different from yours. You could be trying to be fair and critical, but actually coming across as angry and insulting to your staff. It happens a lot.

Even if you think you have a solid handle on things, it never hurts to take a step back and access the way you evaluate your employees to see if there is any room for improvements, because there usually is.

Whether you are criticizing the shortcomings of your team or specific employees or offering employees praise to motivate them to continue working hard for you, these are processes that you need to continually analyze, define and strive to improve upon if you want to grow as a manager and leader.

Be More Open to New Ideas

How open are you to trying new ideas and listening to people outside of management for tips and fresh directions? Probably not enough. As a manager, it isn’t unusual to be a bit afraid of taking risks and trying new things, because you are always aware of the bottom line and how costly any type of mistake can be to your business.

But taking risks is the only way your business is going to grow. The best managers understand that. That’s why you’ll usually find that the best and most successful companies have managers who are flexible, willing to go out on a limb, adaptable to changes and always interested in hearing about new ideas – no matter where they are coming from.

If you want to try opening yourself up to new ideas, start with being a better listener. Some of the best ideas you’ll get will come directly from your staff. And it makes perfect sense. They are the people who are working in the trenches day in and day out. It shouldn’t be surprising that they have a few ideas on what could be done to make various facets of the business run better, especially those parts that they are directly responsible for on a daily basis.

The role of a leader is to encourage creativity and constantly work to find new ways to inspire creative thinking on all levels of your organization. Employees appreciate being able to have some input in the process as well. In fact, it has been proven that employees who are not encouraged to think creatively and offer solutions on a regular basis often feel unmotivated and are very commonly already looking for employment elsewhere.

Including them in the process not only gives you a great source of fresh new ideas to consider, it also helps you retain your best and brightest staff members.

Don’t Be Afraid to Get Personal

Many managers fear getting too close to their staff on a personal level, because they are afraid that being a nice guy can often be perceived as a weakness. That’s not the case at all. In fact, employees love it when managers take an interest in them and their lives outside of the workplace.

It’s important to remember that at the end of the day, all of your employees are people who have lives of their own. Taking an interest in these lives shows that you care for them on a deeper level, which gives breeds a greater sense of engagement and inclusion.

Getting to know your employees on a more personal level doesn’t just mean talking to them about their personal lives. It also means getting to know what their work lives are like more personally. What are their professional goals? What motivates them to be better employees? Where do they see themselves professionally in five years? Do you do enough to facilitate their professional aspirations?

The best managers are able to connect their visions for the business with the visions of their employees. If you want to achieve more meaningful employee engagement and are intent on keeping your best employees around and allowing them to grow professionally within your company, you need to listen to their personal experiences and aspirations and try to align their goals with your own.

Set Clearer Goals for Your Team

Before you can start aligning your goals with employee goals, you need to be able to define both. Most managers put a lot of time into defining well-conceived and detailed business strategies, but they often fail to do the same for their employees.

This is another crucial part of doing employee evaluations the right way. The best way to encourage employees to do better work is to give them very clear, measurable goals that are easy to follow and gauge. It makes your job and their jobs a lot easier.

In order to create realistic and achievable goals for your employees, you need to include them in the process from the start. Collaborate with them and talk openly about what you expect from them and what they expect from themselves.

In the end, it’s all about improving internal communication and making sure that everyone’s voices are heard and acknowledged in the process.

Work On Your Personal Brand

You’ve spent a lot of time focusing on your business and, hopefully, you’re going to be spending more time focusing on your employees. But don’t forget about setting some time aside to focus on yourself.

Book time on your schedule during which you’re going to analyze your shortcomings as a manager and brainstorm to find ways in which you can improve yourself. It’s really isn’t a bad idea to include your staff in this process either. Create a survey for your staff asking them questions about yourself and the job you do (make sure it’s anonymous so they don’t hold back) and let them guide you in the right direction.

It’s always good to have more than one opinion and point of view, even when you’re analyzing yourself. By allowing your staff members to make comments on the work that you do, you are opening yourself to criticism and showing your team that you not only value their opinions, but that you don’t consider yourself to be superior or untouchable in the grand scheme of things. You are part of the team, just like they are.

Humility is a great characteristic for managers to have, because you’re letting staff know that you are trying to create an atmosphere at work in which everyone can stand to improve, management included.

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7 Ways to Become Your Boss' Dream Employee

When my client Angela needed help sorting out a number of career-related issues, her relationship with her manager was at the top of the list.

Frankly, it was in shambles. Their working relationship was terrible, they couldn’t get along, and Angela even admitted she thought her boss regretted hiring her .

While I’m sure Angela’s boss had his own faults, I began to realize that Angela had forgotten the fundamental rule of employment: You are there to make your manager successful. Angela was contentious and argumentative, and I could see how her boss might not consider her someone who made his life any easier. (Related: How to play nice with a boss you hate )

On the other hand, when I look back at the best staff I had as a manager, they were the ones doing whatever was needed—and with a great attitude—so that we could all be successful together. In short, they made my life easier.

The good news is, aiming to do the same doesn’t just help your boss out. When your goal is to make your manager more successful—rather than just yourself—you’ll grow as an individual performer, as a professional, and as a part of the team. You’ll learn a lot about what it takes to be a leader , expand your empathic skills, and develop your capacity for leadership. Plus, your boss will likely become your mentor and advocate—which will put many more opportunities within your reach.

It’s not complicated; it just requires a decision and commitment on your part to make it happen. Here are some starter tips for making your manager’s life—and job—easier on a daily basis. 

1. Get to Know Your Manager

You can’t make your boss’ life easier if you don’t understand how he fundamentally operates. So, your first step is to figure out what he needs from you—and how you should deliver it.

Does he prefer updates delivered in written form or verbally? Spreadsheets or PowerPoint slides? Does he want information conveyed via email, during a team meeting, or on a voicemail?

Getting to know your manager and his preferences will help you deliver the information he needs, the way he needs it . And who doesn’t appreciate that? 

2. Know Your Boss’ Goals

As an employee, you may be so focused on your own goals that you forget that you’re actually there to support your manager achieving her goals. So, make it your job to understand the goals, numbers, projects, and other deliverables your boss is accountable for.

It’s as simple as asking your manager as part of your one-on-one meetings , “If I’m aware of your goals and priorities, I can better support you in achieving them. Can you share these with me, so that I can help you succeed?” Once you understand her goals, you’ll be able to produce deliverables that support her success. 

3. Never Let Your Manager Be Blindsided

One rule I always asked my teams to abide by was to never let me be blindsided. In short: No surprises.

So, if you suspect that one of your customers is getting really ticked off and is about to escalate over you—and over your boss—to the VP of customer service, you need to let your manager know. Otherwise, she’ll be completely blindsided by the situation, unprepared to handle it, and likely, not too happy with you.

A blindside creates frustration and chaos that usually ends up in a major time-wasting fire drill. Avoid it, and believe me, your manager will thank you. 

4. Don’t Expect Your Boss to Spoon-Feed You

It may sound harsh, but no manager wants to babysit an employee. So if you have questions about health insurance, where to find the pencils, or how to file an expense report, find a colleague who can help you get your answers.

Save one-on-one time with your boss for work-related matters that require collaboration ; issues that allow you to flex your intellectual muscles and prove your worth as an employee. 

5. Meet (or Beat!) Your Deadlines

When you get an assignment from your manager, enthusiastically commit to the deadline (this means “I’m on it!” not, “I’ll see what I can do”). Then, aim to deliver it at least a day early.

This gives your boss time to flex and adapt in case something comes up—and it always does—rather than sweating it out for you to deliver something at the very last minute. 

6. Offer Solutions, Not Problems

Your job is not to constantly point out problems that arise, but rather, to proactively start thinking about what solutions could help address those challenges.

For example, you should never walk into your boss’ office to complain about how the shipping department can never get anything out on time . Instead, you should first go to the shipping department, have a conversation about what can be done to improve the situation, and see what you can do to help.

Then, when you do go to your boss about it, you’ll be able to let him or her know the action you’ve already taken to start solving the problem. 

7. Do What You Say; Say What You Do

If you say you’ll finish a report by Friday for the team update, but you come in Friday morning unprepared because “other things came up,” people will probably complain to your manager.

And if that’s not enough, if your manager was counting on that report to take the next steps on a project or to present to the executive team, it will inconvenience (read: annoy) him or her even further.

People who are accountable for their actions and follow up on their commitments are dream employees—and their bosses know they can count on them, no matter what. 

Employees who work to make their managers successful are golden. Your manager has a tough job—the stress and pressure of which may not be abundantly evident to you. So, help your manager out and develop your own skills at the same time, by doing everything you can to make your boss’ job easier. When you’re a manager, you’ll appreciate the same. 

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10 ways to improve your health

One thing that I never mind having more of is better health. The healthier you are, the better you feel. There is always room for improvement, but you have to start where you are.

While, there are many, many ways to improve your health, here are 10 to get started.

1. Be Accountable: Your health and well-being is your responsibility. You can not blame your general health on fast food restaurants, rainy days or a bad mood. Your choices, each and every one, determine how well you feel and how well you are. I recommend, writing the following on a post it note, or card and putting it on the mirror near your bathroom sink. “I am fully responsible for my own great health. My daily habits create my great health.”

2. Healthy Weight: You didn’t gain weight overnight and you aren’t going to lose it overnight. In fact, studies show that losing 1 or 2 pounds a week predicates a better chance of keeping the weight off than a big, crash diet loss. (watch for upcoming posts on how to drop the weight and/or shape up)

3. Exercise: Move everyday. If you are just starting out, try simple stretches in the morning or a relaxing walk around the block. As you build strength and stamina, walk faster or farther, lift weights, ride a bike, or try a class at a local gym or yoga studio. If disease or injury prevent you from walking, find other ways to move.

4. Reduce Stress: I know! This is the toughest one of all. Life doesn’t stop so we can get our act together, relax and be in a low stress state of mind. Knowing that, we have to carve out time to “stress-less” and find ways to under-react. Many of our stressful situations are caused from how we react to certain events and not the actual events. Stress plays an enormous role in your health from weight gain to high blood pressure.

5. Vitamin D: Vitamin D is key to include in your daily vitamin mix. Adequate levels of Vitamin D have now clearly been identified as  important in reducing the risk of developing influenza and other viral illnesses. My doctor recommends levels between 50 and 80. Check with your Doctor to see what levels are best for you. A simple blood test will let you know where you are.

6. Leafy Greens: Eat more! This is an area that I need to work on. (Stay tuned for a leafy green “mini mission” coming up). Leafy Greens, especially the dark ones, provide you with many of the B vitamins, and are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They provide minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats. (Drop me a line if you want some of the BEST Leafy Green Juice recipes ever!)

7. Less Meat: Do you feel tired after a meaty meal? Consider this: your body typically takes three days to digest meat. The meat often rots before you digest it. Digesting meat requires energy. The more you learn about how meat affects your body and how the majority of animals are treated before becoming “meat”, the less appetizing it becomes.  Consider a Meatless Monday. I became a Vegetarian for health reasons, but maintain my meat free lifestyle because I read too much about CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) and factory farms. I cannot ignore the reality of how meat is put on our plates. If you are curious about a Vegetarian or Vegan diet, I highly recommend reading The Kind Diet.

8.  Sleep: I typically go to bed before 10pm and wake up before 6:30 am. I have experimented with waking up earlier, but I haven’t been able to do it consistently. When I don’t get eight hours of sleep, it shows. Sleep needs are individual but usually between 6 and 9 hours is required, not only to function effectively, but for long term health. Not enough sleep is linked with a higher risk of car accidents, increase in body mass index (sleep deprivation causes an increased appetite), increased risk of diabetes and heart problems and a decreased ability to pay attention or remember new information.

9. Connect with others: Healthy relationships can reduce stress and increase better health. If you don’t have a strong social circle, meet people and re-connect with old friends. Remember, when it comes to connecting with others and maintaining relationships, think quality not quantity. Find people with similar interests and attitudes.

10 Give: Donate your time, talent, or treasure to a cause you believe in. Visit Volunteer Match, enter your city and interest to generate a list of need in your area. There are also options for virtual volunteer opportunities.

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21 Ways to Be Healthier in a Minute or Less!

1. The 3-Ounce HDL Booster
 

Instead of chips with your sandwich, switch to unsalted pistachios.

In research at the Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Virginia, people who ate two to three ounces of unsalted pistachios a day for four weeks raised their HDL cholesterol (the good kind) by 6 percent.

2. Dry-Brush Your Teeth

Before squeezing toothpaste onto your brush, take 30 seconds to brush your teeth with a dry toothbrush. Doing so cuts tartar by 60 percent and also reduces the risk of bleeding gyms by half.

Use a dry soft-bristle brush to scrub the insides of your top and bottom teeth, then buff the outer surfaces. Rinse, then brush normally with toothpaste.

3. Exercise Your Ears

Music can either be a sledgehammer or a tuning fork. If you want to be able to hear your great-granddaughter when you’re 97, fine-tune your ears with music.

First, turn down the volume to a sane level (you should be able to listen to the music and still carry on a normal conversation), then practice singling out a single instrument and listening to it.

This exercise will help you develop the ability to perceive more details in everyday sounds, says Gail Whitelaw, PhD, past president of the American Academy of Audiology.

4. Energize for Less
 

When you’re tired and need a lift, coffee isn’t the only drink you can turn to. Have a club soda with lime. The carbonation and aroma will energize you.

5. Don’t Forget Your Lunch  

Thinking about what you ate for lunch could keep you from bingeing on afternoon snacks. In a study, subjects were told they were taste-testing three different types of salted popcorn. They were encouraged to eat as much as they wanted.

Interestingly, those who were first asked to recall exactly what they had eaten for lunch consumed 30 percent less popcorn than those who didn’t review their lunch menu beforehand.

The researchers say that taking a few seconds to remember what you had during a recent meal might enhance awareness of how satiating the food was, which then might reduce future noshing.

6. Kiss and Tingle

Before you plant a kiss on your partner, swipe on mint lip balm to engage your sensations of touch, taste, and smell.

“Menthol triggers the body’s cold receptors, and when that's combined with your warm breath, you'll feel a tingly sensation from your lips straight down to your genitals," says sexologist Ava Cadell, PhD.

7. Kill ANTS

ANTS are Automatic Negative Thoughts that trigger anxiety and flood the body with stress hormones. Whenever an ANT enters your mind, write it down and forget about it for now.

Later, review your ANTS, try to determine where they are coming from and devise a plan to correct negative thinking.

8. Compliment Your Spouse

One study found that an unhappy marriage increases your chances of getting sick by 35 percent and shortens your lifespan by 4 years. An easy way to instantly improve a marriage (and your health) is to regularly tell your spouse what you admire and respect about him or her.

“It takes less than a minute and it can have a profound impact,” says marriage counselor Mario Alonso, PhD, founder of the personality website PsychDNA.com. “Partners who feel secure and well-loved suffer from less depression.”

In a study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, 74 percent of the happiest couples reported that their spouses “often” made them feel good about the kind of person they are (in comparison to 27 percent of moderately happy or unhappy couples.)

9. Slice Thin, Eat Less

Slicing thinly will make your portions seem bigger and more satisfying. In a study at Japan's National Food Research Institute, participants who compared equal amounts of sliced and whole vegetables rated the sliced piles up to 27 percent larger.

When you believe you're eating a larger portion of food, you'll trick yourself into feeling more satisfied with fewer calories.

10. Make the Medicine Go Down

A few seconds before swallowing bad-tasting liquid medicine, suck on an ice cube. It’ll numb your tastebuds and make the medicine taste less nasty.

11. Double-Team Your Headache

Drinking caffeinated tea or coffee after taking ibuprofen relieves headaches faster than taking ibuprofen alone. In a study of 400 headache sufferers, 71 percent of those who took ibuprofen and the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee reported complete relief, compared to 58 percent of those who took ibuprofen or caffeine.

12. Chew More, Weigh Less

Replace a glass of orange juice with a whole orange. A study in the International Journal of Obesity reports that people reduced their daily calorie intake by up to 20 percent when they substituted a piece of fruit for fruit juice with their lunch.

The researchers say that chewing stimulates satiety hormones, and whole food takes longer for your intestines to process, helping you to feel fuller longer and consume less.

13. Ask for Extra Vinegar

Hoagie, Grinder, Po’ Boy, or Hero—whatever you call your favorite submarine sandwich, make it a bit better by ordering extra splashes of vinegar. Nutritionists at Arizona State University say that the acetic acid interferes with enzymes that break down carbohydrates, keeping blood sugar levels from rising quickly.

You can also get the same result by starting a high-carb meal with a salad drizzled with vinaigrette.

14. Fight Your Pillow

Fold your pillow in half, then let go. If the pillow springs back, it’s in good shape. If it just lays there bent like a soggy potato chip, get rid of it. It’s not worthy of supporting your head and neck adequately while you sleep.

15. 10-Second Prevention

Avoid low-back pain on long car drives by tilting your rearview mirror up. Doing so will prevent you from slouching (which causes the pain) by forcing you to sit up straighter to see the cars behind.

16. Squeeze More From Tea

Squeeze a lemon wedge into your iced or hot tea. The acidity can boost antioxidant concentrations in green tea by 20 percent, according to a study in the journal Food Chemistry. Researchers believe the same trick works with all kinds of tea.

17. Place Fresh Cut Flowers On The Breakfast Table

Looking at a vase of fresh daisies, tulips, roses or other cut flowers while eating your morning oatmeal may improve your mood.

New research from Harvard University shows that even people who say they're not “morning people” report feeling happier and more energetic after looking at flowers first thing in the a.m.

18. Kill Those Krusty Krabs

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Sponge-bob Square-pants. Who lives in your kitchen sponge? Millions of bacteria. Moist and full of tiny food bits, your sponge is a breeding ground for germs like salmonella and E. coli., germs that you spread every time you wipe your counter.

Kill ‘em efficiently by zapping your sponge in the microwave on high for 30 seconds, or boiling it in hot water for 5 minutes.

19. Take Vitamin G

Improve your attitude with a dose of gratitude daily. Studies have shown that 90 percent of people say expressing gratitude made them happier people and more than 75 percent said it reduced stress and depression and gave them more energy.

Start by making an effort to thank people more often. Then advance to counting your blessings at least once a day for 30 seconds.

Need some suggestions? Be thankful for your health, your food, your family, and friends. Heck, thank your letter carrier even if all he brings is bills. He or she may be out of a job next month.

20. Go to Sleep Without Sheep 

Instead of counting fence-hurdling sheep to fall asleep, just wear socks. Swiss researchers found that people fell asleep quickest when their hands and feet were warmest.

This happens because warm feet and hands cause blood vessels to enlarge, allowing more heat to escape your body, which in turn lowers your core temperature faster and causes you to nod off sooner.

The researchers say putting on socks may help you fall asleep in half the time it normally takes.

21. Wait 60 Seconds

Take a minute to think about the consequences of your actions whenever faced with an important decision—from having a fourth glass of wine to contemplating quitting your job in anger, swallowing a pill to making a pass at a coworker, blaming your spouse to screaming at a child.

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16 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health Today

Forget the excuses.  Just for today, focus on the many ways you can improve your health.  This list is by no means complete but a starting point to get you making your physical, emotional, and spiritual health a priority in your busy life.  And, once you do these health upgrades today, do them again tomorrow.  Before you know it you’ll be living a healthy lifestyle…with virtually no effort.

1. Drink more water. Your body is 90 percent water and needs water for almost every function.  Many of the aches and pains, headaches, and other symptoms we experience would lessen if we just drank more water.

2. Go for a brisk walk. Your body was made to move. Your heart is a muscle that needs movement to function optimally. We know this but we often need a reminder to just do it.

3. Better yet, take your brisk walk in nature. Trees and other plants are regularly turning our carbon dioxide into rich oxygen we can breathe. Getting rich, oxygenated air help kill bacteria and viruses, improves breathing, and may even help prevent cancer.

4. Hug someone you love. When you hug someone you love (someone who actually wants to be hugged), your body releases feel-good hormones like oxytocin that ward off depression.

5. Eat 2 or 3 pieces or servings of fruit (count ½ cup of fruit like grapes, blueberries, cherries, etc. as a serving). Brilliantly-colored fruit is packed with disease-fighting phytonutrients like proanthocyanins that protect against brain diseases and quercetin which helps alleviate allergies and breathing problems.

6. Eat a large salad. I’m frequently told by someone who is making excuses for his/her bad diet that eating healthy is expensive. Nonsense. Some of the best superfoods are cheap and readily available in the form of salad greens. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll (gives plants their green color and boosts our blood health), enzymes (that improve digestion and increase energy), and many phytonutrients.

7. Meditate. Just taking some time out to clear your thoughts and unplugging from technology and people can help you feel more balanced and peaceful.

8. Deep breathe for at least 5 minutes, as often as you can. Research shows that deep breathing, even for minutes, can reduce stress hormone levels. That translates into less anxiety, better sleep, and less likelihood to pack on the pounds.

9. Snack between meals on healthy snacks like almonds, veggie crudite, hummus and whole grain pitas. Not only will you stabilize your moods, you’ll balance your weight thanks to regulated blood sugar levels.

10. Drink a freshly made juice—preferably with green veggies. Green juices are Mother Nature’s healing nectar. They are powerhouses of nutrients that help your body heal and energize you all at once.

11. Stop and smell the flowers, literally. Not only will slowing down make you feel great, you will be exposed to natural aromatherapy with relaxing, energizing, or therapeutic effects. The fact that you can smell the flowers means molecules of their essential oils are coming into contact with your sensory systems—one of the fastest ways to balance hormones.

12. Write down at least 10 things for which you are grateful.  Increasing amounts of research show that gratitude builds better health and happiness.

13. Eliminate at least one item from your life that contains toxic chemicals (all commercially-available dryer sheets, almost every type of commercial laundry soap sold in grocery stores, dish soap, “air fresheners,” etc.) For essential items, choose a natural option instead. (See: 10 Cancer-Causers to Remove from Your Home)

14. Do something nice for someone. Years ago my husband and I were out in a restaurant in Pemberton, BC, Canada. When we asked for the bill we learned that it had been paid by a gentleman with whom we’d had a lovely conversation shortly after arriving. It not only made our day, we still think back with fondness about this kind man and how it gave us more faith in the goodness of people. You don’t even have to know the person for whom you do something nice.

15. Dry skin brush. Dry skin brushing in small circles with a natural bristled brush, working from your extremities toward your heart boosts your blood circulation and the movement of lymph through your body to help eliminate toxic waste buildup in your tissues while boosting your energy.

16. Soak in a warm bath with Epsom salts. The magnesium in Epsom salts absorbs through your skin and helps relax your muscles and reduce pain levels while contributing to your heart health.

What will you do today to upgrade your health?

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HEALTH COMMANDMENTS - MUST DO RULES FOR A BETTER YOU

There are many ways you can improve your health and by following our straightforward ways to improve your lifestyle and well-being, you should start to see the benefits in no time.

Cut the fat

The effect of fat on your arteries and general health is pretty well known, so you should try to cut your intake by changing your cooking methods. Try grilling, baking, steaming or poaching, rather than frying. If you are frying something, spray cooking oils can be used instead of oil in frying pans - this is a healthier alternative with a lower calorie content.

Get plenty of sleep

If you’re having trouble sleeping try cutting out stimulants such as alcohol or caffeine, especially in the hours directly before you go to bed.Watching TV or using a laptop or tablet directly before going to sleep has also been shown to disrupt sleep. Trying reading a book or listening to some music before bed instead – you might find it easier to drop off. Putting a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow at night has also been shown to have relaxing effects.

Reduce your salt intake

To reduce the impact on your blood pressure cut down your salt intake. We suggest using herbs and spices such as oregano, nutmeg and paprika to season your food. You may eventually find that you don’t need to add salt at all!

Build stronger bones

If you’re planning to include exercise in your healthy routine it’s essential to have strong bones and muscles. A diet high in calcium and vitamin D will lead to strong bones and healthy nerves and muscles. Good sources of calcium and vitamin D include egg yolk, broccoli, oily fish and direct sunlight. Activities like running or dancing are also great for increasing your bone health. You could also introduce some bone-building herbs like parsley into your diet in order to gain maximum benefits.

Laughter

Laughing can help to boost blood flow by more than 20 per cent and researchers say it may reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Laughing can also help to fight infections, relieve hay fever, ease pain and control diabetes. So it really pays to think about your mental health as well as your physical health!

Fruit

Fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit are a great source of vitamin C, which helps to boost the immune system. Also, citrus fruits and bananas are a good source of potassium which can help to regulate blood pressure. If you struggle to eat lots of fruit each day try to find creative ways to include it in your diet – like making homemade smoothies or having fruit salads as a dessert.

Garlic

Regular consumption of garlic - either in natural form or odourless capsules - promotes a healthy heart and good circulation by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol — and it also helps to fight infection and boosts the body’s immunity.

Drink more water

We should all be drinking around eight glasses of water a day. It will greatly enhance your digestion‚ nutrient absorption‚ skin hydration and detoxification — as well as many other aspects of your health. Try to have a glass or bottle of water with you all the time – slipping water throughout the day is the easiest way to get the required amount.

Tea

There is general agreement that tea - both black and green - may contribute positively to your health.Tea contains antioxidants that can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, support dental health, increase bone density and strengthen cardiovascular health. Herbal teas are increasingly becoming very popular – and are now stocked in most cafes and coffee shops. They are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and provide herbal teas are a natural way to boost your health.

Eat more wholegrain

Eating wholegrain foods such as bread, cereals and rice can reduce your cholesterol levels and greatly reduce your risk of heart disease. Look at the packaging on foods that are labelled as ‘wholegrain’ - especially cereals - to see which of them are best. For an added health benefit - try to stick to brown bread, rice and pasta.

Stand tall

Good posture is believed to help the flow of energy in the body so standing tall or sitting up straight improve your energy levels.

Chilli

Chilli peppers contain capsaicin which helps to stimulate blood circulation and reduce the risk of clots. Spicy peppers also contain antioxidants which can help to prevent cell damage. They are also a great way to add spice and flavour to foods – meaning that you can reduce the salt and make your meals even healthier.

Swimming

Exercising in water is a great way of getting a good workout without stressing the body too much. The water offers resistance to help you to build your muscles and stamina while preventing some of the impact on the joints that land-based exercises would bring.

Eat oily fish

Eating more ‘oily’ fish — such as herring, kippers, mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna — will provide you with large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. These types of fatty acids can reduce the levels of cholesterol in the blood — thereby reducing the risk of stroke.

Don’t skip breakfast

Your body needs good quality fuel to wake up your metabolism so always tuck into a good breakfast. It means you will burn more calories throughout the day and it also prevents you from getting that lull in the morning when your body is running on empty. Having a filling breakfast that will provide lots of energy will set you up well for the day. Maybe porridge or a poached egg with avocado or smoked salmon.

Be positive

Having an optimistic outlook on life can actually help you to live longer. Researchers have found that optimistic people slashed their risk of early death by 50 per cent compared to those who were pessimistic. Thinking positively lessens your chances of worrying and reduces stress - lessening your chances of getting a physical and mental illness.

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