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Find All the Tips for Healthy Alternatives to Smoking

Are you tired of your habit of smoking and want to get rid of this habit for good? There are various alternatives that you can do so that you can ward off the cravings for tobacco. For most tobacco users, the cravings for tobacco and the urge to smoke can be highly strong. It is difficult to get rid of. But you should know that you are not at the mercy of the cravings. When the urge to smoke or for tobacco kicks in, you should remember that the feeling may be severe and intense. It may pass within 5-10 minutes whether you smoke or not. Every time you resist and overcome tobacco, you will be getting one step closer to stopping tobacco for good.

There are various alternatives to smoking that you can implement in your life to reduce and get rid of the smoking or tobacco habit for good.

Marijuana

If you have been smoking for years and the urge to smoke is highly strong, you can buy marijuana seeds and grow them. The benefits of smoking marijuana are better than cigarettes. This is because it is not addictive, such as cigarettes, as it contains tobacco elements. Whereas marijuana will be the best alternative to smoking. You will not get addicted to the plants, and you will only smoke it when you want to smoke and not the other way around. There are various types of seeds that you can buy for the marijuana and grow them in your house. In the USA, it is legal to grow and use marijuana. However, there are some rules that you will have to follow to adhere to the rules. You will have to grow a limited amount of marijuana.

The amount of Marijuana depends on the state in which you live. You should be at least 21 years old if you want to grow marijuana. You can also buy marijuana seeds according to your preferences. These are not addictive but a great alternative to tobacco. There is also another great alternative to smoking that you can implement in your daily life and make your life better by removing tobacco from your life. It is something that causes a lot of disadvantages in life and makes life miserable.

Workout 

Adding a workout to your routine will be the best choice that can help fight the urge of smoking. You will be bought with activities that will not give you time when it comes to smoking. Eating healthy and regular workouts can be the best way to relax stress. You don’t need to do full-fledged training.

Running down and up the stairs can be the best thing to do as it will get rid of the tobacco cravings, and these tips will help you get rid of the habit pretty easily. If you are in a place where you cannot do full exercise. You can try squats, pushups, running in a place, or walking up and down. If you are not interested in these physical activities, you can try needlework, prayer, or journaling. You can also do the paperwork or chores so that you can distract yourself from the cravings.

Know the Benefits

Smoking cigarettes is known to be common, but many people do not know the disadvantages that this product poses to the human body. Smoking will cause acne in the face and the body, and you will have bad breath all the time. Another disadvantage is that you will put your teeth at the risk of falling quicker than anticipated. With smoking, you will also get wrinkles on your skin.

Stopping cigarettes will save you from all of these health risks and complications, you will start a good and healthy life. You will get healthier, and you will feel better about yourself. Another major advantage is that it will save a significant amount of money. You will have time and money to try out new things that are good for your health.

Relaxation Techniques

Many people smoke so that they can get rid of the tension. Resisting tobacco can be a stressful process. It is better to take the edge off by practicing relaxation techniques. For example, muscle relaxation, deep-breathing exercise, yoga, massage, or listening to calm and soothing music will calm you down.

 Conclusion 

These are some of the effective ways of getting rid of tobacco use and implementing a healthier lifestyle that will benefit your life. It may not be an easy job, but various people have overcome the urge to smoke cigarettes.

HR Trust: The Relationships Between Employees and Their HR Departments

A healthy relationship between employees and their HR departments is essential to the success of any company. However, many factors can get in the way of this relationship. Trust is one of them.

Trusting your HR department means more than just trusting them with sensitive data about you, it also means believing that they are doing what’s best for your career. Moreover, fostering trust in HR goes beyond individual interactions—it encompasses the systems and processes in place. For instance, in the UK, HR systems play a pivotal role in shaping employees’ perceptions of their workplace. When these systems are transparent, efficient, and prioritize employees’ well-being, it reinforces the trust employees have in the HR department. An HR systems UK streamlines communication, ensures fair policies, and promotes transparency regarding career progression not only bolsters employee confidence but also strengthens the bond between employees and the HR department. Trust becomes not just an interpersonal dynamic but an inherent attribute of the HR systems UK companies implement, contributing significantly to a healthier and more successful work environment.

A new UK trust in HR survey (as seen in  cezannehr.com/infographics/trust-in-hr/ ) was conducted to identify how trust affects the relationships between employees and their HR departments, as well as some ways that both parties can increase trust levels in order to have a better working environment together.

What if employees don’t trust HR?

If an employee doesn’t have any trust towards their company’s HR department then there need to be changes put into place immediately because this will affect how hard people try on a day-to-day basis which creates less productivity overall.

Trust might seem like it takes years to build up but with the right kind of human resources software, HR departments can make sure they’re making decisions that contribute to a better work environment for everyone involved.

With businesses having access to online HR systems, this can then provide ultimate transparency between employees and HR as all communication records relating to appraisals, payroll, time management, and holiday requests can be stored in one place and employees would, therefore, not need to be concerned or worried about how their personal data might not be treated with confidentiality.

Zelt’s HR software exemplifies this by offering a unified platform that centralizes all HR processes, enhancing transparency and efficiency. With features such as automated payroll management, seamless onboarding, and real-time employee data tracking, Zelt empowers HR teams to build trust through clear and efficient communication. Its focus on employee well-being and data security ensures that sensitive information is handled with utmost confidentiality, fostering a more secure and trusting relationship between employees and HR departments.

Additionally, Zelt’s intuitive design allows employees to easily access and manage their own information, from requesting leave to reviewing performance metrics. By streamlining these processes, Zelt not only supports operational excellence but also contributes to a culture of mutual respect and trust.

Why do Employees and HR Teams Need to Trust Each other?

Trust is one of the most important factors when it comes to relationships in general, whether they are personal or professional. Trust is what lets you know that an individual is reliable and worthy of your time, attention and energy.

It allows people to open up more easily with each other, which can lead to better communication opportunities throughout all levels of a business organisation.

When employees don’t trust their HR departments, there tend to be issues with productivity. Employees will find ways around their problems without communicating them properly because they feel like no one cares about their concerns or complaints – this consequently means that management doesn’t get feedback on how things could improve within the company culture either.

If managers aren’t made aware of any issues that their employees are having, then they cannot resolve them and address the root of the problems.

When HR teams don’t trust their employees either, it can lead to a lack of motivation. Trust is also linked with higher levels of job satisfaction as well as overall employee engagement – if managers do not treat or communicate with their team members in an open and honest way, this will impact how they feel about working at that company.

COVID’s Impact of trust in HR

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global event that could have contributed towards there being a major fall in trust in HR departments but that would appear not to be the case as per Cezanne’s survey.

32.1% declared that employees trust their HR departments more now than prior to when the pandemic first started, while 54.1% trust them the same and 13.8% trusted them less.

If employers didn’t show trust in their employees, then it’s possible that they may not have gone back to work after the pandemic and this could’ve left many businesses struggling without workers.

The pandemic would have resulted in many businesses having to rethink and adapt for their working processes to adhere to government protocols and keep employees safe with the implementation of remote working.

Providing employees with the ability to work remotely along with more flexibility of working hours would have been one way that allowed trust levels with HR to have improved over the past 18 months or so.

Factors That Affect Trust

Trust can be affected by how other companies handle employee information as well as what kind of data is collected. There need to be clear policies on who has access to sensitive data so no one feels like their privacy isn’t being respected or valued enough which could lead to a lack of trust with the current system at hand.

Trust takes time to build but can quickly go away if people are mistreated or feel like they aren’t getting enough security with their sensitive data.

31% of UK employees stated that they weren’t sure or had any belief that their HR team could respect their privacy or confidentiality.

Additionally, trust in HR can be affected due to perceived favouritism at the workplace and how businesses handle internal matters. 45% of respondents declared that they would trust HR to act impartially, while 43% believe that senior staff are favoured more compared to the 12% of junior staff.

If someone does something wrong, there need to be repercussions put in place so no one feels like they’re above consequences when needed because if punishments are necessary, nobody should get off scot-free.

Mistakes happen but there need to be clear rules on who gets fired or demoted if things don’t go according to plan; this way, employees will be more likely to work harder and take things seriously.

Trust is built from consistency, so if something happens that goes against what was agreed upon in the past, there needs to be a “comeback” plan put into place for when similar mistakes occur again down the line.

9 Ways To Make Healthcare More Accessible And Affordable

Many people believe the monopolization of healthcare services and medicines is an overriding reason for the high cost of quality care. Some also perceive that only well-known private hospitals can provide quality patient care. A study highlighted that the US government spent an average of $11,110 on each Americans’ healthcare needs compared to $5,500 per individual in other developed countries. Good health is a fundamental human right, and no one should have to be deprived of quality medical assistance on time. However, owing to socioeconomic differences, underprivileged and marginalized groups tend to suffer. Needless to say, there are several ways through which healthcare services can be made more accessible and affordable for a given population. These include:

Inducting more public health experts

Public health experts not only know about prevalent diseases but also have a firm grip on healthcare-related policies. Public health programs teach people how to translate their knowledge and skills into positive health outcomes. They can help the policymakers as well as clinical staff in revamping the overall healthcare system. Therefore, more people should be encouraged to enroll in alternative healthcare education programs to fill in gaps and make healthcare services accessible to a larger number of patients.  Flexible learning options such as MPH online programs not only help aspiring healthcare professionals save their time and money, but they also help individuals with a non-clinical background skill up and take up healthcare-related jobs.

Healthcare settings where travel allied health jobs are available include hospitals, clinics, schools, and rehabilitation centers. The benefits of working in travel allied health jobs include higher pay compared to traditional healthcare positions, as well as the opportunity to gain new experiences and work in different settings. A functional primary care clinic can serve as an essential component in transforming healthcare delivery, focusing on patient-centered care and efficient use of resources.

Therefore, policymakers should make more efforts to facilitate individuals wanting to take up such educational endeavors for the collective well-being of society and induct more public health professionals into our healthcare system. It will, in turn, help to spread more awareness about human health and disease.

Reducing administrative costs on healthcare services

Administrative costs billed by the management are considered the prime contributors to excessive healthcare expenditures. United States healthcare infrastructure has many procedures and systems that are indispensable and lay a heavy load on the national exchequer. In 2019, it spent $1.1 trillion on healthcare administrative expenditure. Unless individuals do not have insurance, this cost can become very high for them to manage independently, thus depriving them of quality services at the right time. However, this cost can be truncated and allocated to other healthcare aspects like medicines and after-care services, making getting timely help more affordable.

Promoting telehealth and distance monitoring

Technology and digitalization are reshaping every aspect of our lives, so why not let it spill over healthcare? Considering the constraint distance and time can impose on the accessibility of care, virtual healthcare is a viable solution. Clinical staff can take advantage of modern technologies and adapt themselves to the new ways of treatment. Telehealth is an essential, efficient, and cheaper way of expanding healthcare services to remote areas. Video conferencing tools and EHRs can help patients share information with medical professionals and get the help they need without waiting weeks or months to see a doctor. 

Deploying mobile clinics

A study related to a mobile clinic named “Family Van” suggested mobility as a cost-effective and time-saving method to delivering healthcare services. A mobile clinic can be set up in a van, bus, or truck, having all the essential equipment to provide primary care, preventive care, and dental care services. This model is outrightly suitable for underdeveloped areas. According to Mobile Health Map, currently, around 2000 mobile clinics are located all over the country.

Eradicating unnecessary laboratory testing

Lab tests are expensive and can quickly increase an individual’s or family’s health budget. It is the main reason behind patients’ high medical bills. Patients have to go through multiple laboratory tests at the time of admission or initial checkups. The Los Angeles Times has estimated that Americans waste approximately $200 billion on unnecessary lab tests yearly. The way forward is for doctors not to force their patients to have inessential tests and prescribe only necessary tests. Doing so will drastically cut down on the cost of treatment.

Controlling drug prices 

Presently, soaring drug prices is the foremost challenge that the American healthcare system faces. This jacks up the cost of treatment, especially for those suffering chronic medical conditions, those who are dependent on expensive life-saving medication. An increase of 2.9% in medical drug prices has been witnessed every year since 2006. In the US, the burden of this hike falls almost entirely on the patients who buy them. However, in Europe, the government takes measures to control drug prices by providing cheap medicine. Therefore, healthcare policymakers should intervene and regulate drug prices so that patients do not have to pay exorbitantly high amounts. Proper medication is essential for the healing process, and unaffordable drugs are nothing but inaccessible.

Making healthcare insurance more viable

Healthcare institutions should allow patients to buy healthcare insurance from any company they want. It will create a healthy completion among different insurance companies. Consequently, the price for insurance premiums will witness a downturn, and insurers will offer more incentives to people. This way, more patients can get relief in their healthcare expenditures.

Encouraging people to focus on care rather than cure

To reduce the country’s rising healthcare spending, people must focus on care rather than cure. It is a socially responsible way to prevent themselves from hefty medical bills and build a thriving community by spreading awareness. Allied healthcare professionals such as social workers should encourage people to eat a balanced diet, quit unhealthy activities, and go for medical checkups regularly. This way, the community may witness a decrease in preventable diseases such as heart attacks, diabetes, hypertension, and lung cancer.

Working on enhancing the efficiencyof the healthcare system

A study conducted by UCLA ranked the US healthcare system 24th among the 27 topmost developed countries. The inefficiency became even more evident when the Covid-19 hit the country. Inefficiency leads to high healthcare costs and poor delivery of quality services to patients. Therefore, healthcare administrators and leaders should design improved methods for delivering care and improving patient outcomes. This can be achieved by deploying newer methods and encouraging professionals to enhance their skill sets.

Conclusion

Currently, Americans face acute distress in accessing and affording quality healthcare services. Though the US healthcare budget is one of the highest among the developed nations, its citizens have to pay high medical bills. Studies suggest that the problem lies in the regulation, administration, and management of hospitals and clinics. Policymakers and healthcare leaders should encourage people to join the clinical workforce and promote virtual healthcare and mobile clinics. Also, professionals must increase the system’s efficiency, regulate drug prices, and eliminate unnecessary lab tests. By considering these ways, healthcare can be made accessible and affordable to a larger number of people.

The Surprising Role of Social Media on Divorce

Social media plays a crucial role in society and can have a huge effect on people’s personal lives, self-esteem, and relationships. In this post, we discuss how online platforms can have a positive and negative impact on your marriage…

 

Arguably, chances of love have never been more abundant than in today’s digital age. Some studies claim that this ease of communication has led to an increase in marital satisfaction, trust, and overall endurance of a marriage.

However, it can also be argued that social media has brought about a new wave of deceit. Suspicion about a partner’s social media usage can be warranted, with many affairs starting online and continuing in person. Though social media can be used as a tool to initiate an affair, it can also be used to expose cheats, providing invaluable proof if your spouse is defending a divorce petition.

So, what sort of a role does social media have upon divorce? Does its use encourage distrust and infidelity? Or are platforms helping to harness a loving and stable relationship, while exposing untrustworthy individuals?

In this article, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of using social media while in a relationship and list some hard-hitting statistics surrounding social media and divorce.

 The Pros of Using Social Media While in a Relationship

 Ease of Communication

Whether you’re in a long-distance relationship, or just haven’t seen your partner for a few days, social media can be used as an effective tool for communication. No matter where you are in the world, it enables individuals to stay up to date with each other’s whereabouts and be in constant interaction.

Social media can often help couples who have anxiety and struggle to be apart. By allowing them to communicate at any given moment, individuals may feel more inclined to attempt solo activities, safe in the knowledge that they can contact their spouse if they need to.

Spice Up Your Relationship

Technology is advancing at a rapid rate, and with that comes the development of new apps for couples to try each day. From Snapchat to Love Nudge – an app where you can learn your partner’s love language – several platforms can help couples to invite a little bit of fun and creativity back into their relationship.

By engaging in playful features such as filters, games, blind matches and photo correspondence, couples can have fun, share intimate moments, and learn about their compatibility.

Builds Confidence and Trust

In some instances, social media can build trust in a relationship. Whether it’s the constant flow of communication, or the reaffirmation of love via online social posts, social media can help to reinforce a loving and unquestioning relationship.

It is, however, important to highlight that a relationship built on trust should also be able to withstand a lack of social media communication. A constant bombardment of messages or posts can leave individuals in a relationship feeling trapped, scrutinised, and even sometimes stalked.

The Cons of Using Social Media While in a Relationship

Unfaithfulness

As mentioned early on in this article, social media can play a crucial role at the end of a relationship. Though a divorce can occur for a multitude of reasons, one of the main factors can be adultery. In fact, infidelity in the United States is said to be responsible for 20 to 40 percent of divorces. 

The rise of dating apps like Tinder, Hinge and Bumble has made it easier than ever before to seek out an affair. With such easy access into the dating world and in such a discreet way, it can be tempting for some people to download these apps when things are rocky in their relationship.

Jealousy

If you have trust issues in your relationship, social media can undoubtedly exacerbate feelings of jealousy and paranoia. Social media can cause spouses to feel jealous of their partner and their interactions online, particularly if they’re unaware of who their partner is talking to, or what they’re doing online.

It’s important to be open and honest in your relationship and if you suspect your spouse of cheating online, try to avoid checking their messages. Be upfront about how you feel, and if you’re in a loving relationship, your partner should understand your concerns, explain their reasons behind being on their phone, and aim to reduce their screen time.

 Occupies Your Time

A recent YouGov Omnibus survey showed that one in five people in relationships think that their partner doesn’t pay enough attention to them. Social media is cited as the number one distraction, with 28 percent of those who feel neglected, saying that their loved ones are checking their phones instead of spending quality time with them.

To avoid these issues, try to be mindful of the amount of time you spend on your phone when you’re with your other half. Embrace quality time together and consider setting limits or implementing ‘phone-free’ hours.

What Role Does Social Media Play in Your Marriage?

In this article, we’ve posed the question ‘what sort of role does social media have upon divorce?’ and we’ve attempted to answer it with several pros and cons. Undeniably, social media plays a role, but the degree to which it takes control of a relationship is completely dependent upon the individuals.

To foster a healthy, trusting, and loving relationship, spouses must endeavour to trust their other half from the start, before social media comes into play. Any emotion, whether it be compassion or distrust, is likely to be highlighted once social media is integrated into your relationship.

Though social media can inject fun and creativity back into a relationship, it can also be the cause of resentment and jealousy. So, remember to take a step back every once in a while, and try to concentrate on living in the moment, instead of through a screen.

Checklist: 7 ideas for a proper vacation

In our article, we tell you how to properly rest on vacation to gain strength for the whole coming year.

Change the scenery

If you want to have a memorable vacation, go on a trip. A person will not be able to avoid hiding from new experiences and impressions in unfamiliar surroundings.

The trip does not have to be expensive: a hotel can be changed into a hostel, a guide – on the map, the plane – on the bus, if there is a suitable route. Many museums and parks have student discounts, so don’t forget to get your student ID.

Get some sleep

Healthy sleep helps to maintain immunity and well-being. During the vacations, of course, you cannot sleep for a year ahead: a good night’s rest should be every day. But during vacations, you can adjust a comfortable regime of the day, accustom yourself to doing things during the day, rest at night, and get up in the morning. It is desirable to go to bed and get up at the same time, to take at least 8 hours of sleep a day for an adult. Sometimes it’s better to think about who will write my essay for me than to torture yourself at night, depriving you of a healthy night’s sleep.

Take a break from gadgets

The computer, smartphone, and Internet are the indispensable assistants of students. The endless flow of information is tiring, and the opportunity to chat with a friend on social networks devalues communication.

Put away your smartphone, tablet, and laptop to enjoy the silence and the entertainment our parents used to do: read a book, play board games with friends, go in for sports or find a new hobby.

Get involved in sports

If the school year was so stressful that textbooks and homework occupied all your free time, it’s time to change the vector of activity and take a good stretch. Moderate exercise is good at any time of year, but it’s easier to pick up a new habit during vacations.

Try different activities and choose something that will fit into your traditional schedule as the school year begins. Alternating physical and mental activity will have a positive effect on memory, concentration, and performance.

Find a new hobby

The vacations are a great time to learn a new language or learn a useful skill. Do something that you have been putting off for a long time because of lack of time. New experiences and positive emotions will help your body to recover after a tiring year.

Get out to the countryside

Doctors and scientists recommend taking a walk every day: first, walking can be equated with a sporting activity, and second, fresh air saturates the body with the necessary oxygen. You need to choose the right places: parks, squares, riverside promenades away from factories and plants.

On vacation you can get out of town: walk through the woods or groves, have a picnic with friends or relatives, go hiking or canoeing.

Get a part-time job

If you can’t just sit around and the activities we have listed aren’t enough to keep you busy all day, get a part-time job during the vacations. Look for part-time or hourly jobs, as students should have some rest during the vacations.

8 Finance Tips for Young Professionals

When you get your initial paycheck from your first job in your career field, you practically feel like a millionaire. Before you go hog wild and blow it on your entire Amazon wishlist, though, it’s time for a reality check. Life in the real world is expensive. Start off on the wrong foot now, and you’ll be playing catch-up for at least the next decade.

Now is the right time to take a pause and plan out your financial moves. Whether you’re new to personal finance or feel adequately schooled by your parents on the topic, hang tight. You should still research and create a plan that works best for your lifestyle and preferences. Your life as a young professional is unique to your experiences. A sustainable financial plan has a better chance of working if you’re the one who created it.

Check out these eight tips to get you started on your financial planning journey.

1. Understand How Credit Scores Work

Your financial life is quickly summarized by your credit score. Calculated taking into account five factors depicting your financial habits, your score can help you get, or lose, financial opportunities. Learn how your score is determined and make monthly financial plays that will enhance it.

Payment history, credit utilization, credit mix, new credit, and credit history length all go into creating your score. To easily boost your credit score, pay your bills on time and use less than 30% of your credit limit. If you’re new to credit, consider getting a credit builder card. Many issuers skip the credit check and can help you build out your credit profile. With such a card, you’ll have a better credit mix and can demonstrate a good payment history and responsible credit usage.

2. Know Your Monthly Obligations

Chances are, this is the first time you’ve been responsible for a full-blown budget. Even if you lived in an apartment in college, the experience of managing an entire household budget is different. Before you sign up for entertainment packages or internet service, review your total expenses for each month.

List out your necessities such as food, utilities, and rent. Account for car payments, insurance, student loans, and other obligations. Tally these up and see how much money is left over for luxuries like shopping, dining out, and lifestyle expenses.

Once you have a handle on your income, your obligations, and your desired lifestyle expenses, you can make better choices. Make sure you conduct this exercise before you commit to any service plans requiring a long-term commitment.

3. Learn About Your Spending Habits

After you’ve become familiar with how much money you have available for spending each month, track your habits. Keep all your receipts for the next couple of months and go through them with a fine-toothed comb. Log everything, even if you find the task to be tedious. Better yet, skip the tedium by using an app like Mint or your debit card app to keep tabs on expenditures.

Once you reach the end of the month, review your patterns. If you find that you spent a lot of money on dining out, consider how important that is to you. Cooking for yourself more often may leave your funds to spend on things (books, travel, live music!) you value more. Repeat this analysis to help you develop a sustainable budget.

4. Build a Sustainable Budget

The word “sustainable” is essential here. Budgets only work if you work them. It may be exciting to list out a budget that shows you depositing hundreds of dollars into savings each month. But it’s only going to be demotivating if you develop an unrealistic budget that you fail to meet every time.

Review your real-life habits and consider what adjustments you want to make that are actually doable. Once you have a plan in place, execute that budget and check in often. Adjust as necessary, based on your goals and life needs. When your income increases, temper your desire to increase your budget or buy a new toy. Try to save at least half and build yourself a cushion in variable categories where it’s needed.

5. Develop a Debt Repayment Plan

If you have debt obligations, now is the time to develop a repayment plan. Typically, your lenders will have provided you with a repayment term at a fixed or variable rate. Make the minimum required payments on your accounts and consider whether you can pay more toward at least one of them.

To pay down debts, some people prefer the debt snowball method. In this approach, you pay as much as you can toward the smallest loan balance. When that bill is paid, you take the amount you were paying on that loan and direct it toward the next smallest. You repeat this exercise until all of your debts are paid off.

Others prefer to focus on eliminating the highest-interest debt first. In this approach, you pay as much as you can toward the highest interest-earning debt. Once that is repaid, apply the amount you were paying toward the debt with the next highest interest rate. No matter what method you choose, eliminating debt will work in your financial favor. When you’re debt-free, be sure to celebrate by stashing the money you were paying toward debt into savings or retirement.

6. Don’t Sleep on Your Employer’s Benefits Package

While your employer pays you a salary for your labor, don’t forget that you are also earning valuable benefits. You may be the most familiar with your health insurance benefits, but your employer may have more to offer.

Review your benefits portal to see whether there is anything you are not yet taking advantage of. Many employers offer retirement savings plans that also match up to a certain percentage. Don’t let free retirement money get away from you.

If you’ve chosen a high-deductible health insurance plan, see whether your employer offers (and contributes to) a health savings account. This tax-free contribution can be used for qualified health care expenses and does not have an expiration.

7. Structure a Savings Strategy

Ideally, you’re able to allot money each month toward your savings goals. Review your budget for the amount you have for savings and allocate it to strategic categories. You can save for general emergencies, vacations, and large purchases. You’ll also want to store up cash to protect yourself from unexpected job losses.

In addition, it’s a good idea to build up reserves in case you need to make a massive life change. For example, if you find yourself in an unhealthy relationship, a financial buffer can help you leave that situation easily. On a happier note, savings can help you fund the wedding of your dreams. Protect your finances and your well-being by prioritizing savings.

8. Get Ready for Retirement — Even Though You Just Started Working

Compound interest is practically magical. The sooner you start saving, the sooner your investments can earn returns that also earn returns. Typically, individuals who start saving even a small amount at a young age can surpass later savers.

Aim to save at least enough to earn your employer’s matching contributions. Once you’ve met that goal, consider whether you should save more pre-tax dollars. If you’re nearing the income cap for participation, a post-tax Roth account may be right for you. Everyone’s situation will be different, so be sure to model different options. If you need help, contact a trusted financial advisor.

Making It Happen

Managing your finances is something you’ll always have to do, so the sooner you begin, the better off you’ll be. Give your finances attention now, and you’ll find more freedom as your career and your financial plan mature.

With each new career and life advancement, you’ll be well prepared for what’s ahead. Take the time to organize your finances now so you can focus on life instead of worrying about money.

How Can Meditation Boost Your Gambling Performance?

I have been a fan of gambling for many years, and put in quite the effort to ensure I was familiar with all strategies and rules involved in the different games available to play.

However, knowledge of the rules and strategy is just a quarter of the battle won; you still need to be able to stay focused and calm to ensure you don’t end up with an outrageous loss. And only after I stumbled into the world of meditation did I realize the power that this tool had!

When it comes to improving your focus levels, one word that you find being used increasingly is meditation. Does meditation help boost your focus levels and, therefore, your gambling performance? The answer is a resounding yes!

What is Meditation?

Wikipedia defines meditation as ‘a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.

Meditation is not bound to religion, contrary to popular belief. It is one of the things people nowadays do to improve quality of life, focus and stability.

Validation of the Use of Meditation in Boosting Gambling Performance

As mentioned earlier, we have heard quite a bit in recent times – from magazines and portals as well as from established professionals, e.g. poker pro Daniel Negreanu – about the positive impact of meditation on gambling performance.

The first question that comes to mind is whether this is even real. The answer is that it is. A fair bit of research has been done to determine the effects of meditation on gambling. However, most of it has been directed at identifying the possibility of using meditation as a tool to help problem gamblers.

The results are all positive – one study by Tony Toneatto of the Department of Public Health Sciences, Lisa Vettese, Department of Psychiatry and Linda Nguyen, Faculty of Nursing all from the University of Toronto said:

“Given the prominence of distorted thinking among problem gamblers and the difficulty in modifying them, mindfulness meditation holds promise as an adjunctive intervention to help problem gamblers learn to cope with gambling-relevant cognitive distortions.”

Benefits of Using Meditation to Boost Gambling Performance

Here are some of the key benefits that gamblers can experience when they meditate before playing.

Meditation calms you down and reduces anxiety levels. Gambling brings out in us a whole spectrum of emotions – from the exhilaration of a win to the anxiety of a loss to the frustration of a losing streak.

An overdose of negative emotions triggers stress. Meditation has a direct positive impact by helping you calm down and reduce stress levels. This has been borne out by numerous studies.

Meditation allows you to sleep better. It is important for every gambler to stay fresh and alert before they get down to the business of gambling, especially those who play skill-based games.

Meditation is a big help in this aspect as well, because studies have proven that meditation helps manage and regulate sleep for individuals. Here are a few ways it does this:

  • Improves rapid eye movement (REM) and slow wave sleep (SWS)
  • Allows you to experience more sleep cycles
  • Regulates the hypothalamo pituitary adrenalin (HPA) axis and keeps your catecholamine and cortisone levels in check

Some forms of meditation enable you to retain higher levels of melatonin.

Meditation improves your memory. A good memory is a strong weapon for any gambler. Studies have shown that meditation helps improve memory.

Meditation helps improve concentration levels. A study by the Columbia University School of Professional Studies shows that meditation not only helps improve memory span but also helps increase your concentration levels.

There are other studies as well; one published in Psychological Science, a journal, showed that players who meditated were able to zero in on visual cues faster than the ones in the control group, who were not allowed to meditate.

Strong concentration levels have a big impact on outcomes in blackjack and other skill-based games, and also in a game like video poker.

Meditation helps improve emotional regulation and reduce self-doubt. Meditating is a good way to regulate your emotions. Closing your eyes for a minute and asking yourself to calm down is one of the best ways to bring your emotions under control, for instance.

Players who meditate are also found to be more confident and less self-critical. It is not hard to figure out why: anyone who knows they have the ability to regulate their emotions, improve their memory and focus sharper is bound to have an upsurge in confidence levels as well!

How to Use Meditation as a Tool to Boost Your Gambling Performance?

Now that you know the numerous benefits of meditating before getting down to gambling, the next question that will arise is ‘how do I gamble?’ There is no single answer to this, because different people may figure out different ways of doing it.

However, the core steps remain the same regardless of how you go about meditating. We list these for you here.

  1. Find a single point to focus on. The best way to do this is to identify a single point in front of you.
  2. Sit in a comfortable position. Posture plays a strong role when it comes to meditating. Sit comfortably – that doesn’t mean you slouch away – so that you don’t face discomfort while you are meditating.
  3. Close your eyes. Once you have identified a single point of focus and settled in comfortably, close your eyes. At this point in time, it is important to be able to breathe evenly. There are different breathing techniques you could use, including:
    1. Inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth
    2. Inhaling, holding your breath and then exhaling, for a uniform number of counts
  4. Focus and keep your mind steady. This is the slightly tricky part, because your mind will initially refuse to stay still. You will need to refocus and stop your mind from wandering.

By the way, there is no set time limit on meditation. You could do it for just 5 minutes, or you could do it for an hour! The key is to ensure you do it well and stay focused all through.

A lot of practitioners say a good way is to start out with meditating for smaller time periods, say 2-3 minutes and then gradually increasing that time period. Once you have fine-tuned your meditation skills, log in to play your favorite games and win real money

Beyond Pre-Game Meditation: Focusing During a Game

Meditating before a game is a great way to ensure you stay focused, up your positive energy and concentration levels and reduce your anxiety and stress. However, how do you stay focused during a game?

That is a good question, because it would certainly look odd if, in the middle of a game, you shut your eyes and started meditating because your focus levels were depleting! 

The best way to deal with a situation like this is to take a few deep breaths, drink a little water and set your focus on one single aspect of the environment around you. These could be anything, including:

  • Your breathing pattern
  • Any specific sound in the environment
  • The feel of the dice in your hands
  • The dealer’s hand as she/he deals

The idea is to bring all your energies and attention on a single object or element, which is why what you are focusing on really doesn’t matter.

Other Keys to Good Gambling

Increasing your focus through meditation is a great way of enhancing your ability to concentrate when playing casino games, but it is not the only thing that can help you.

To excel in skill-based games you will need to master the betting strategies and rules of the game. And you must have thorough knowledge of the odds involved in a game and the various ways you could swing them in your favor.

Tips for finding clothing that will fit well

Clothing is an important piece of one’s image and can often give you a certain impression about someone by what they wear. This is why it is important to realize that the clothes we wear say something about who we are. If you want to look at getting comme des garcons clothing that will fit well, here are 10 tips:

 Measurements: Usually men and women take measurements using tape measures or body fat scales, but it isn’t always necessary. The best thing to do when figuring out measurements for your next article of clothing is to find a similar article of clothing already in your wardrobe which fits well and take its measurements. It might also be beneficial to see if the store has sizing charts online so that you know beforehand whether or not this item may fit your body type.

   Body Shape: It is important to know what kind of shape you are before purchasing clothing online because it can affect the fit of the item, despite how well it fits on a model. For example, if you have an hourglass body shape, most items may fit well with some alterations at your tailor. However, a boxy shaped individual will likely receive their article of clothing looking very different from how it looked on the hanger. If you are not sure about yours or another person’s body shape, there are many resources online to help you figure it out!

Size Guide: Remember that certain brands may run larger or smaller than others and those sizes vary depending on where exactly the store is located. It can also sometimes be beneficial to go up or down a size depending on the fabric of the clothing and how it is made.

Fitting Room: No matter where you purchase your next article of clothing, always try it on! Even if you find something online that fits well according to measurements, there is no guarantee that it will fit just as well off the rack. If you cannot physically try on an item before purchasing it, then look at reviews and see what other people’s experiences were with the item. This information could help shed light onto whether this might be a good purchase or not.

Sleeve Length: Believe it or not, sleeve length can make all the difference when clothes that fit well! For example, an individual with shorter arms may find that short-sleeve shirts and jackets fit them the best. Meanwhile, someone with longer arms may prefer long sleeve shirts and jackets to cover up their wrists. It is important to realize what length of sleeves looks good on your body and purchase clothing that fits this size.

 Neck: This can often be a difficult aspect of buying playboi carti merch clothing because it’s not as simple as measuring or finding something online that fits well. A collar might look perfect but if it is too tight around your neck then the garment will feel as though it suffocates you all day long! If you know how big of a neck opening works for you, take time before purchasing an article of clothing to see what other people’s reviews said about it.

 Shoulders: The distance between the shoulder seam and the arm opening can make a big difference because this determines how well something fits on you. If you find that your shoulders are more narrow than average, then it might be beneficial to look for tops that have smaller arm openings as well as slightly shorter shoulder seams. For example, if someone has wider shoulders they will most likely fit better into clothing with larger shoulder seams and larger arm openings since these features create more room for bigger bodies.

 Waistline: Just like the measurement of one’s hips, waist is another area where people hold onto excess weight. It may not seem important when purchasing clothing but having an item of clothing sit higher around your waist can make you appear wider than you actually are. If you find that most of your clothing sits at your hips instead of your waist then it might be beneficial to look into options that sit higher on the waist or have elasticized waistlines so that clothing has more room for error.

 Length: The length of an article of clothing very often depends on where one is planning to wear it. For example, if one plans to tuck their shirt in, it should ideally reach the hip area, no shorter or longer. However, if someone wants to wear a dress with tights then something slightly above the knee might work best. Different styles are available for different lengths but making sure what kind of length works best before buying online makes this process much easier.

 You’re Shape: The most important aspect of buying clothing that fits well is realizing what shape you are! This means if someone is pear-shaped, they will look best in tops that taper slightly towards the waist and pants or skirts with belts. If one has extra weight around their hips then it might be beneficial for them to purchase trousers or skirts with elasticized waistlines as well. Having a basic understanding of your own body shape can make all the difference when looking for clothing online because this helps you filter through styles and sizes that will work best for you!

Conclusion paragraph:

Finding clothing that will fit well may not be a difficult task if you know the right places to look. You can find clothes in your size at thrift stores or even on eBay! If you have any questions about how to shop for different body types, let us know and we’ll help give you some pointers. We hope this blog post has been helpful!

Get Here The Best DevOps Course For You In 2021

DevOps Foundation certification is very important if you are passionate about the management of your company through an integrated environment and tools.

Today organizations are looking for such solutions that can enhance software delivery, reduce the complexities, and works rapidly. And DevOps offer the same to them that is why they are encouraging the establishment of DevOps culture in their premises.

So this course can be very beneficial for you if you want to start your career without any difficulties and earn a decent salary.

Course Overview

With this course, you will be a master of DevOps tools and techniques that are becoming essential for companies in this digital era.

Organizations want to adopt such practices that can provide technical advantages, with continuous software delivery, with a quick speed solution, and also reduce the complexities of the problems and make them easy to solve, with a stable operating environment.

Not only that, but they also want seamless collaboration and communication within different departments and teams of their organization.

As modern companies, businesses and organizations are expanding on a global level, and they have many departments having several teams and innumerable workers, they need a fast, efficient, reliable network of communication.

DevOps is their cultural and professional movement solution for all the problems. It serves the organization by improving the communication and collaboration between the different departments, especially between IT professionals and the software development department.

Thus it cut through complexities and streamlines the entire workforce. And as a DevOps master, you will be able to complete all these tasks.

In the course, you will learn from basics to advanced tools and techniques of DevOps and will also be prepared for the DevOps exam.

After the completion of this course, you can establish the DevOps environment in your organization and employ the DevOps tools and techniques to solve business and technical problems.

This course is for future project managers, software developers, testing professionals, architects, and other professionals who want to make a career in enterprise architecture.

In this course, you will learn the skills that will help you in working within your working environment and can complete the tasks under the given deadlines.

Course Content

In the course, you will learn how to enhance the performance of all the processes in your organization and protect infrastructure by employing DevOps techniques and tools. You will also learn how to provide quick solutions to problems and eliminate them before they get more complex.

Here you will also learn about the automatic installation of servers, configuration deployments, continuous integration, and packaging. With that, you will also learn the basics of Scripting and how to make tasks automated using Python or Bash.

Talking about the topics covered, first, you will get an introduction to the course with its goals and agenda. Next, you will learn the need and importance of DevOps, its details, and performance in the organization.

Then you will love forward with automation in DevOps, measuring DevOps success, its pattern, and other frameworks, its culture, DevOps organizational considerations, promoting collaboration, enhancing communication, and the practices of DevOps.

At last, you will learn the DevOps automation practices and categories of tools, how to adopt DevOps culture, and additional information with preparation for exams.

The classes are well planned with a prepared lesson plan and consist of two parts, theory and practical. Here you will not only get lectures but also learn by doing experiments on your own.

Your mentors are well trained and versed in the field and share their experience to guide students like you. The classes are very interactive, and you can clear your doubts as well as ask your queries.

To make the classes more interactive, group discussion sessions and question and answer sessions are held from time to time.

Prerequisite

As this is a professional course so you must have some skills beforehand to grasp things quickly and efficiently. You must possess basic knowledge of Linux and any other programming language and basic networking knowledge.

Is Your Teen at Risk for Juvenile Delinquency?

What is juvenile delinquency?

When a young individual engages in illegal activities or behavior, not once or twice but on a regular basis, it is known as juvenile delinquency. Juvenile delinquency is also referred to as juvenile offending. A teen can be considered a juvenile delinquent when their destructive and antisocial behavior becomes uncontrollable.

Every state in the U.S. has its distinct judicial system to manage juveniles who break the law.

Some common juvenile crimes include:

  • Property offenses such as theft, vandalism, or burglary
  • Personal offenses like assault, bullying, rape
  • Robbery
  • Homicide
  • Drug abuse and other drug violations

Approximately 2.1 million people under the age of 18 are arrested in the U.S. every year. While the overall rates of juvenile delinquency have dropped consistently over the past few years, there are still 1.7 million delinquency cases in juvenile courts.

Which teens are at risk of juvenile delinquency/what contributes to juvenile delinquency?

The high number of juvenile delinquency cases each year takes up significant number of resources and money from other public services. Some people avoid getting into trouble after one or two offenses because the experience of being arrested, facing a judge or a probation officer, and spending a night or two in the juvenile hall is enough to deter them from any further illegal activities. But unfortunately, this still leaves a small number of repeat offenders responsible for the vast majority of juvenile crime.

In order to reduce the incidence of juvenile delinquency, it is important to understand the causes and risk factors. These include:

Poor academics in school: One of the first risk factors in juvenile delinquents is poor academic performance. Many of these teens have poor attendance and are often expelled or suspended. Many of these troubled teens also do not have the social skills necessary for success in interpersonal and interprofessional life. They don’t give much importance to the concept of punctuality or meeting deadlines and have little or no self-control.

Family issues: These may include a background of criminal activity in one or both parents or siblings. People who tend to become juvenile delinquents also often have a history of physical and sexual abuse, abandonment, or neglect. In most cases, the parents are either absent/uninterested in the teenager’s life or have little control over them.

Substance abuse: This is a very strong risk factor for juvenile delinquency and is often associated with arrests for the sale or possession of illicit agents. The use of such drugs can diminish a person’s ability to think straight, further pushing them towards criminal activity.

Chronic abnormal behavior: This can include running away, stealing, and lying, which are often observed in juvenile delinquents. Many of these teens act aggressively and frequently get into physical fights and/or arguments.

Membership in gangs and or possession of weapons: This is another strong risk factor for future criminal activity. Juveniles who possess guns often commit crimes that are more likely to result in death or severe injury.

Having one or more of these risk factors significantly increases the risk of criminal behavior. Most juvenile delinquents who become career criminals tend to have at least two or more of the mentioned risk factors.

What are the signs of delinquency in teens?

Some of the early signs of juvenile delinquency include:

  • Acting aggressively towards others
  • Being a bully in school and intimidating or threatening others
  • Participating in vandalism and destruction of property
  • Stealing and/or persistent lying
  • Cruelty to animals
  • Skipping school or being expelled from school
  • Smoking, drinking alcohol at a young age
  • Mixing with the wrong crowd (gangs)
  • Having little empathy for anyone

Teachers often notice this pattern of abnormal behavior and may refer these teens to a social worker or a counselor.

How can parents intervene before it’s too late?

Many times, parents refuse to accept anything negative about their child or may just be in denial. Unfortunately, this can actually harm their teen more than they can imagine.

The best time to take control of the situation is when a parent notices abnormal behavior. The earlier this type of attitude is addressed, the better the outcomes. Most parents may have little or no idea what to do except scolding the child, but this usually doesn’t achieve anything.

Parents need to hold their children accountable for their actions. Children need to learn family and societal values and should understand that stealing and vandalism are unacceptable. If the teen continues to engage in delinquent behavior, (lying, aggression, bullying, threats, vandalism, stealing, staying out past curfew, running away), it may be necessary to involve a professional counselor or someone from the legal system. Parents can also use the services of professionals who have a degree in sociology, are trained to manage juvenile delinquency, and know how to support the family during this crisis. There are also several online support groups for parents with delinquent children. These support groups teach parents how to manage the abnormal behavior of their children without getting reactive or emotional.

The important thing is that there is help out there. Parents and teenagers just need to reach out and benefit from these services.