Types of Education

What is education?

In general terms, it is the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life.

Four types of Education:

1. Indigenous Education- It focuses on spreading knowledge of cultural beliefs, rules and customs and its oral transmission from one generation to another. Indigenous education can be seen as a response to a strong wave of globalization. This type of education is more accepted and valued in some systems than in others, but in African context it is seen as a vital part of protecting and maintaining a nation’s cultural spirit.

2. Formal Education- As a prototype of the picture we have of education, is set in a formal, school environment with professional teachers, who follow a specific and planned teaching program. This program concentrates on specific skills, knowledge and education goals. Formal education is in most countries fully-funded by the state and in Nigeria there are different levels of formal education system: kindergarten, primary, secondary (divided in junior and senior secondary school) and tertiary education. Children would spend 6 years in a primary school, 3 in a junior secondary and 3 in senior secondary school, and at the end 4 years in a tertiary institution i.e. institution of the third level education such as university.

3. Informal Education- As the name says, takes place in an informal setting and is a lifelong process. People learn from each other in everyday situations about various topic. This can be illustrated as a parent teaching his/her child how to determinate sides of the world or how to cook a family meal. There are no specific teaching/learning methods when it comes to informal education and a person can gain informal knowledge by visiting museums, reading books in library or being a part of a local community.

4.Non-formal Education- This form mostly focuses on specific needs and goals of a group. Students of the non-formal education can be from different age and this system and its program, although pre-planned, takes place outside the institutional system. Non-formal education aims often adult literacy problems and other continuing education and skill programs such as, for example, swimming lessons for children. Methods used in non-formal education are very flexible and can last for different period of times, depending on the goals and the student group.

Through different types and methods it is easy to use children’s natural curiosity. And although different, every type of education is a part of a puzzle, which leads to youth having good career opportunities and living conditions in the future.

Anorexia Nervosa

‘Hey, you have lost a lot of weight suddenly. Are you alright?’ You might have seen someone saying this to a girl/boy who really did lose a lot of weight suddenly. They look weak and skinny and often come across as short tempered. This is a common symptom of a disorder named anorexia nervosa.

It is an eating disorder causing people to obsess about weight and what they eat. Anorexia is characterised by a distorted body image, with an unwarranted fear of being overweight. Basically such people constantly obsess over their weight. This usually happens during adolescence. This is because during this time period, teenagers go through puberty. This means they feel the need of constantly looking pretty. This also usually happens to girls as the social norm is set as such that the skinnier you are, the prettier you look. No doubt this social norm is now dramatically rejected as people are more accepting of all kinds of body types.

Anorexia nervosa is a dangerous disorder. It’s like having a voice in your head constantly telling you that you look fat and should lose more weight. This is dangerous because people suffering from anorexia nervous are repulsed by the idea of eating. They literally don’t like eating. To the point they isolate themselves from their friends and family so that they don’t have to eat.

They not only despise eating, they exercise aggressively and push their limits to the store extent that they endanger their own lives. They constantly work out and drink water when they feel hungry. Whenever they do eat, they feel guilty and put off all the calories by working out more than ever.

Other symptoms of this disorder includes dizziness, dehydration and feeling cold all the time. Girls often miss their menstrual cycle. People often become short tempered or moody. They also become more anxious and apprehensive about basically everything.

They are often constipated and force themselves to vomit from time to time. Their nails become brittle and hair become dry, thin and fall out occasionally. Most dangerous of all is that they become malnourished and their heart beats slower than usual. They refuse getting treated because they constantly feel that they will become ‘fat’ or overweight. They might also suffer from depression.

Now that we know about this disorder, one must look out for all of these symptoms as we might just be able to help them. People suffering from anorexia nervosa need their family and friends even though they might avoid them. It is important for their family and friends to make them realize that life is more than just body types and weight. If they are not happy even after losing all that weight, losing weight is not the true path of becoming happy. They need to realize that their family and friends love them for who they are. Yes, it will be very hard for everyone around them. Especially the parents. But this is the time we must remember that we are the only ones who can bring their child back. Proper professional help should be taken and apart from that through therapy and proper healthy diet, they can always come back to their real home.

The only way to gain true happiness is through self care and self love. They need to realize no matter how skinny they become, if they don’t love themselves for who they are, all this trouble can never be worth it! Loving yourself is more important than anything. Accepting your body type is one step of becoming happy.

What Are the Effects of Water Pollution

Causes and consequences of water pollution

On human health

To put it bluntly: Water pollution kills. In fact, it caused 1.8 million deaths in 2015, according to a study published in The Lancet. Contaminated water can also make you ill. Every year, unsafe water sickens about 1 billion people. And low-income communities are disproportionately at risk because their homes are often closest to the most polluting industries.

Waterborne pathogens, in the form of disease-causing bacteria and viruses from human and animal waste, are a major cause of illness from contaminated drinking water. Diseases spread by unsafe water include cholera, giardia, and typhoid. Even in wealthy nations, accidental or illegal releases from sewage treatment facilities, as well as runoff from farms and urban areas, contribute harmful pathogens to waterways. Thousands of people across the United States are sickened every year by Legionnaires’ disease (a severe form of pneumonia contracted from water sources like cooling towers and piped water), with cases cropping up from California’s Disneyland to Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

A woman using bottled water to wash her three-week-old son at their home in Flint, MichiganTodd McInturf/The Detroit News/AP

Meanwhile, the plight of residents in Flint, Michigan—where cost-cutting measures and aging water infrastructure created the recent lead contamination crisis—offers a stark look at how dangerous chemical and other industrial pollutants in our water can be. The problem goes far beyond Flint and involves much more than lead, as a wide range of chemical pollutants—from heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury to pesticides and nitrate fertilizers—are getting into our water supplies. Once they’re ingested, these toxins can cause a host of health issues, from cancer to hormone disruption to altered brain function. Children and pregnant women are particularly at risk.

Even swimming can pose a risk. Every year, 3.5 million Americans contract health issues such as skin rashes, pinkeye, respiratory infections, and hepatitis from sewage-laden coastal waters, according to EPA estimates.

On the environment

In order to thrive, healthy ecosystems rely on a complex web of animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi—all of which interact, directly or indirectly, with each other. Harm to any of these organisms can create a chain effect, imperiling entire aquatic environments.

When water pollution causes an algal bloom in a lake or marine environment, the proliferation of newly introduced nutrients stimulates plant and algae growth, which in turn reduces oxygen levels in the water. This dearth of oxygen, known as eutrophication, suffocates plants and animals and can create “dead zones,” where waters are essentially devoid of life. In certain cases, these harmful algal blooms can also produce neurotoxins that affect wildlife, from whales to sea turtles.

Chemicals and heavy metals from industrial and municipal wastewater contaminate waterways as well. These contaminants are toxic to aquatic life—most often reducing an organism’s life span and ability to reproduce—and make their way up the food chain as predator eats prey. That’s how tuna and other big fish accumulate high quantities of toxins, such as mercury.

Marine ecosystems are also threatened by marine debris, which can strangle, suffocate, and starve animals. Much of this solid debris, such as plastic bags and soda cans, gets swept into sewers and storm drains and eventually out to sea, turning our oceans into trash soup and sometimes consolidating to form floating garbage patches. Discarded fishing gear and other types of debris are responsible for harming more than 200 different species of marine life.

Meanwhile, ocean acidification is making it tougher for shellfish and coral to survive. Though they absorb about a quarter of the carbon pollution created each year by burning fossil fuels, oceans are becoming more acidic. This process makes it harder for shellfish and other species to build shells and may impact the nervous systems of sharks, clownfish, and other marine life.

What Can You Do to Prevent Water Pollution?

With your actions

It’s easy to tsk-tsk the oil company with a leaking tanker, but we’re all accountable to some degree for today’s water pollution problem. Fortunately, there are some simple ways you can prevent water contamination or at least limit your contribution to it:

Reduce your plastic consumption and reuse or recycle plastic when you can.
Properly dispose of chemical cleaners, oils, and non-biodegradable items to keep them from ending up down the drain.
Maintain your car so it doesn’t leak oil, antifreeze, or coolant.
If you have a yard, consider landscaping that reduces runoff and avoid applying pesticides and herbicides.
If you have a pup, be sure to pick up its poop.

With your voice

One of the most effective ways to stand up for our waters is to speak out in support of the Clean Water Rule, which clarifies the Clean Water Act’s scope and protects the drinking water of one in three Americans.

Tell the federal government, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and your local elected officials that you support the Clean Water Rule. Also, learn how you and those around you can get involved in the policymaking process. Our public waterways serve every American. We should all have a say in how they’re protected.

Training

“Training helps teach the vision and mission, but employees must put the training into action for it to have meaning.” – Shep Hyken

The above quote really has a deep meaning as it is an important element for an employee and his organisation. It constitutes a basic concept in human resource development. Before starting further first we should know what is training? According to Edwin Filippo- ” Training is the act of increasing the skills of an employee for doing a particular job.” In layman terms training is a learning process which gives an opportunity to the employees to develop their skills, knowledge and competency as per their job requirements. It is a very useful tool as it brings an employee into a position where they can perform their jobs correctly, efficiently and confidently.

Generally training is not a continuous process, it is periodical and given in specified time. Training is given by an expert or professional in related field or job. Training helps an employee to keep themselves updated in this dynamic environment. Training programs is generally provided to the employees so that they can improve their quality of work. Training bridges the gap between job need and employees skills. Training is a task oriented activity as it helps in improving the performance of an employee. Training is about acquiring competencies to cope with the variety of complex and difficult situation. It is a journey of self-awareness and self-discovery as it leads to growth and development. It helps your employees to explore and realise their potential and talent. Through this training program one is able to identify his strength and weaknesses and it also helps in clearing there doubts and misconception which will help them to know their hidden abilities. It helps in establishing relationship between theory and practice as it develops the ability to translate acquired concepts, principles, knowledge and skills into action and through this way we can build a relationship between the two. Training is very important in an employee’s life as through training he or she will be able to know and learn so many new things like it will develop new skills in an employee, it helps in improving employee’s performance, it increases engagement as we know that an engaged employee has an increased level of productivity, it improves employee retention and growth as the process of training involves cost and thus it motivates the employee who undergoes training, consistency in training- as creating consistency within an organisation is difficult but training helps reduce a disparity between your teams, it helps in tracking employee skills, training is necessary when the existing employee is promoted to the higher level in the organisation as it requires some new skills and knowledge according to job requirements and so on the list of importance of training is never ending. As good things has never ending positive results. Training also helps in motivating the employee and helps in gaining organisational excellence. It also helps in preventing employee attrition as training program provides them a sense of satisfaction as they think that there organisation invest in them by this training session.

Last But Not the Least

“Our strength comes from our people.” Training is a very important HR function as it helps in the growth of an employee as well as the organisation.

ENVIRONMENT

Environment is the surrounding in which an organization operates ,including air,water,land,natural resources flaura ,fauna,human beings and there interrelation .

the natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally ,meaning in this case not artificial .the term is not often applied to the earth or some parts of earth.

Components of environment. Environment mainly consists of atmosphere ,hydrosphere ,lithosphere and biosphere .but it can be roughly divided into 2 parts such as micro environments and macro environments. It can be divided into two types such as physical and biotic environments.

Some important components of environment. Atmosphere. The atmosphere is the protective blanket of gases which is surrounded the earth .it protect the earth from the hostile environment of outer space .

Hydrosphere the hydrosphere is a collective term given to all different forms of water.it includes all type of water resources such as oceans ,sea ,river,lakes ,streams,and groundwater .

Biosphere the biosphere refers to the realms of living organisms and there interactions with the environment .the biosphere is very large and complex and is divided into smaller units is called ecosystems.

Environment is a place where different things are such a swampy or hot environment it can be living or non living things. It includes physical, chemical and other natural forces ………..since everything is a part of of environment of something else .the word environment is used to talk about many things.

human impact on the environment .human impacts of physical environment in many way .overpollution,pollution, burning fossil fuels ,and deforestation .changes like these have triggered climate change,soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water.

How do our activities affect the environment human activities contribute to climate change by causing changes in earth’s atmosphere in the amount of greenhouse gases aerosols and cloudiness .the largest known contribution comes from the burning fossil fuels ,which realised carbon dioxide gas at the atmosphere.

the simple things you can do to help protect the earth . Reduce,reuse,and recycle volunteer conserve water plant a tree use long lasting lights bulbs etc.

The Problem with Online Education in India

With Covid-19 disrupting all the hitherto establish modes of living, studying, and working in our society, more activities are being moved online. This is aimed at continuing our stream of activities but in a different mode so as to ensure that no business or endeavour is fatally suffering from this pandemic. While this might not be fully possible for every aspect of existence, it is a method to try and maintain a semblance of normalcy in our everyday activities. Most IT companies have moved completely online and allow all their workers to work from home. Restaurants and hotels rely highly on apps that deliver food to continue their business, and even education is now gearing to completely move online. This seems well and good at first glance but the question of whether this can ever be successful in a country like India is a serious one.

woman working at home using her laptop — Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

Our country is a developing one, where the majority of the population still lives in rural areas and the internet is not a luxury that everyone can afford nor have access to. While the need to continue education is important, one might ask at what cost this is being done. Even when we talk about work from home, we are all aware that a very narrow part of the population has this privilege. Daily wage workers do not get to work from home and they have no option but to risk their lives in the midst of the pandemic if the government itself fails to take care of them. Small scale industries and shops all close down. We have a massive economic crisis on our hands but alongside this, we need to understand that there will be a widening of the educational gap, a crisis whose effects we will start to fully comprehend in a couple of months.

Most middle-class and upper-class households are able to comply with the needs of online learning since they own laptops and smartphones. They also have enough money for data and internet connections. However, it is still a stark reality that education in rural India and amongst lower-class households is extremely limited owing to factors of economy and access, as well as gender and caste. India supposedly houses 430 million persons below the age of 18 many of whom come from rural settings. Only 47% of households in India have electricity for more than 12 hours a day according to a survey that the Ministry of Rural Development conducted in 2017-18. It is an eye-opener to the urban citizen that only 24% of Indians own a smartphone. And one must remember that in a household with more than one child, there has to be multiple gadgets for all of them to receive their education.

66% of India’s population lives in villages and an extremely minuscule portion of them will even be able to attend classes of any sort. The development of our country and much of its economy is reliant on these villages but if we forget them in this hour of need, the consequences will be hazardous for the whole country. If we do not take aggressive measures to tackle these problems and provide materials resources to those in need so that their children can access classes, the current online education system will create a massive digital divide that will cause a majority of the Indian population to suffer. It will impair their access to a better life and opportunity, any attempt to get on par with their privileged peers would largely result in failure and this will drive many to lives of low economic value, toil, suffering, and access. This will be carried forward into their coming generations. Unless addressed, it will lead to a systemic denial of the fundamental right to education and opportunity, and hence, while attending our own online lectures, we should take this very seriously and implement measures to better this situation in every possible way. This is not the only problem that online education creates but it is by far the most important.

‘The New Normal’

Lockdown In India: India has been in a complete lockdown system due to the global pandemic issue since March 2020. It was the only way of staying safe at our homes and maintaining social distancing. However, all essential services,essential commodities and medicines were available. Banks, ATMs, grocery shops, petrol pumps, hospitals were not included in the lockdown. The night curfew was initiated by the Government that no movement of people from 7pm to 7am shall take place except for essential items.

The global pandemic changed the daily lifestyles of people, the work scenarios, the Indian economy, the Entertainment Industry, and so on.

Nothing like this was expected that the world would be in such a dilemma.The entire world has been affected by the global pandemic issue. Be it the economy, the business and industry sectors, the health sectors, the agriculture and law sectors, small scale and large scale sectors,railways and metros,aviations,etc.

The poor and daily wages workers have been hit tremendously by this pandemic. They are the ones suffering a lot today. Even the unemployed are facing problems and a number of employees have lost their jobs already. The ones still working in their work spaces are constantly in fear of the safety of themselves and the others.

This pandemic has changed a lot of things over the past few months. Each and every person is suffering due to the sudden issue be it through mentally or financially.

Even after the complete lockdown system initiated by the Govt. of India for literally three months, the number of cases of covid-19 has been going on tremendously increasing day by day. There is no number of decrease in the cases till date.

The nation followed complete lockdown for more than two months except for essential items. Initially, the domestic flights were resumed from May 25th with guidelines that has to be followed for travelling. The Railways then decided to start to operate the Shramik Special trains from May 1^st to transport the stranded migrant workers, students, pilgrims and tourists.

The centre then decided to start lifting few restrictions on things in lockdown as Unlock 1.0 phase from the 8^th of June. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi Ji however gave the authorities to the States and Union Territories to decide about what should be made opened and not in their respective states.

In the Unlock 1.0 phase malls, hotels and restaurants for takeaway and home delivery, and places of worship for the public were made opened. However, social distancing and proper safety measures had to be followed. The containment zones were in complete lockdown as earlier. People stepped out of the houses as soon as they heard about the Unlock 1.0 phase thus increasing the risk of themselves and others.

Amid the rise in the cases of the coronavirus after the Unlock 1.0 phase, the Government directed the State & Union Territories to ensure mandatory basis that no movement of people except for essential things would be allowed from 9pm to 5am throughout the whole nation. Indian Railways decided to operate 15 pairs of Special AC trains from 12^thof May and 200 time-tabled trains from the 1^st of June.

On July 1^st, the nation entered into the Unlock 2.0 Phase with relaxations in night curfew, provision for more domestic flights and trains and clearance for more than five people in a shop. However, schools, colleges and other educational institutions are closed till July 31^st. At present, offices are too opened with all the safety measures that has to be followed. Some offices still prefer work from home (wfh) for their safety. Works which can’t be done from wfh are resumed.

Shootings have also been resumed for daily soaps and TV Stars are practicing all the social distancing and are following safety measures while they are on the sets and all the reality shows would be getting back with new episodes from 13th of july.

Looking at the increasing number in the cases day by day, the nation would be entering in the Unlock 3.0 phase from July 31^st.

The fact:

Currently, as we have entered unlock phases of lockdown people have accepted and are trying to make it a habit of wearing masks and scarfs before stepping out of their homes. Maintaining social distancing and using a hand sanitizer as and when required. All the precautions and safety measures have been followed by every person.

Markets have realised that masks are now an essentials things and also trendy and therefore, producing different brands and patterns of masks to the customers. This is an amazing business which is in actual demand and has already started making profits.

People are trying to accept ‘the new normal’ or you can say ‘the new usual.’ Earlier hand sanitizers were not in much demand the way it is now. Without masks, its impossible to think of going out right now today. And you think we have to follow this only for some months?

No, we have to follow and adapt this new normal not only till the number of cases gets reduced to ‘0’ which we all are hoping but also for some years for future prevention. It is true that we are not safe anymore. We can’t freely go out or hang out like earlier we used to do. We can’t do social gatherings or get together at some one’s home. We can’t chill with our friends or spend time with them at our homes. We can’t go to theatres for watching movies or go shopping with our friends. We can’t chill at the malls, or public places like earlier. This is the reality. We can’t touch anywhere or anyone without having the fear of risk right now or for few years till everything settles down completely.

I am just stating the facts. No one knows when exactly we all will be free and will be back to our normal life. Everyone is waiting for that one day when we hear the news that coronavirus (covid-19) is reduced and no more cases have been detected.

Hence, today looking at the current situation I do feel its not safe to step out of the houses without wearing our masks for coming years. This is the new normal that we have to abide by and just like we can’t leave our smartphones at homes, the same way we can’t leave our masks today before stepping out of our homes for anything.

Well, who imagined a world full of people wearing masks one day? But here we are today.

Masks are the new normal.

Brief Summary of Indo-China conflict and the role US has played over the years

Due to the clash between soldiers of both the countries – India and China around Pangong Lake in Ladakh, one thing is clear that nobody knows what’s coming up next. Once India’s friendship with China seemed natural as the country has put socialist principles in its national constitution and prided on taking a neutral stand during the cold war. Under its first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, India was interested in broadening ties with other socialist nations, including Russia & China. But factors more powerful than the ideologies knocked off the relationship leading to tensions and war-like situations today.

At first, the relationship was all smiles based on five principles enunciated under the Panchsheel Agreement: mutual non-aggression, mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful coexistence and equality and mutual benefit. A slogan also went out, “Hindi Chini Bhai-Bhai”– India and China are brothers.

But soon, India and China started to disagree on the border between the two nations. All thanks in part to the legacy of certain colonial boundaries. The Ardagh- Johnson Line was drawn by British India that showed Aksai Chin inside Jammu& Kashmir in India. This didn’t go down well with China as they never accepted this border. Instead, they argued for Macartney-MacDonald Line, a later boundary that gave it more territory.

There were talks in India in 1960 between Nehru and Zhou Enlai, the Chinese Premier to address border issues but no solutions came up. Keen to maintain the strategic relationship between the two countries, India hosted Dalai Lama when he fled and kept funding resistance movements in Tibet.

The brotherhood died after the two nations went to war. The events of 1962 are broadly seen as humiliating domestically for India.

Even more critical to understand India- China relationship is an alliance between Pakistan & China. As both have border issues with India, a common goal emerged. In recent years, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and his predecessors have maintained deeper ties with China through initiatives such as Chinese funding for Gwadar port, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and other economic initiatives. Because of this, Pakistan’s cooperation with the US has also crumbled up under pressure. If another Cold War happens, it already seems Pakistan has chosen its side.

This has helped India to strengthen its relationship with the US. India choosing free markets was a drastic change for the nation, and a shift to the Western economic sphere soon followed. As India started seeing high rates of growth, it started becoming China’s competitor. India also managed to tighten relations with American allies such as Vietnam and Japan.

Today, the United States plays a key role in the Indo-China relationship. In recent times, India has sought to strengthen ties with the US, powered by fear of Chinese political and economic influence in the region. Even since the Chinese have got more aggressive in the Indian Ocean, India is seeking an ally in the US to bolster deterrence.

All this clearly shows we are a long way in Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai.

Self-love Culture: Is it Healthy?

Importance to the individual and the self is a phenomenon that came by as a product of modernity. With more emphasis on self-accomplishment and success becoming often defined as what you are able to make of yourself, talks about what is important to the self and how to understand our own personalities have increased. Nowadays we see a large number of people who propagate what is known as the ‘self-love’ culture. The self-love essentially prioritizes the well-being of the self and calls for the acceptance by each person of their own individuality.

woman in black shirt holding white flowers — Photo by Masha Raymers on Pexels.com

This movement which is increasingly seen in online spaces and urban settings have its benefits as well as adverse effects. We can say that it is extremely necessary, especially when we have a society that is constantly finding fault with us and setting standards that very few are able to stick to. Everyone who does not meet those standards, whether it be about success or beauty or relationships, are considered as failures. Many companies are designed in such a way that they prey on insecure individuals and make a profit by offering them products that supposedly will make them ‘enough’. However, this is a false hope. in this situation, it is absolutely crucial that we have counter-narratives that dispel these myths of success and encourage people to understand their own uniqueness. We should not buy into the ideas that are marketed for the sake of money nor give into traditions that place unwarranted emphasis on appearances and performances. This idea can even cause serious mental health issues when one is constantly seeking the approval of others to be worthy of love.

The problem with this self-love culture, however, is when it goes out of hand and becomes almost narcissistic. People tend to get obsessed with their own selves and will do anything they have to in order to secure what they think will bring them fulfillment. This is dangerous because such an individualistic outlook might lead them to take advantage of others and even cause them harm. It also makes them egoistical and unwilling to accept any criticism. They forget that loving oneself does not mean loving everything about one’s own self and being against all kinds of change or betterment. In fact, if one is loving, one should be willing to change or work towards bettering aspects of their personality which might be potentially hurting themselves or others. Anger issues is an example of an aspect like this.

Self-love is healthy as long as it doesn’t lapse into the other extreme of being obsessed and infatuated with everything about ourselves. Man being a social animal has to live in relationship with others and anything that hinders that will potentially hurt him as well. It is a tightrope walk of loving oneself and accepting our personalities, flaws and all, and being cocksure of our supremacy and infallibility as an individual. We should love ourselves enough to identify things that could potentially be hindering our growth as a person while also keeping in mind that it is not our performance in the world out there that defines our worth. If we are able to be secure in our identity thus, evolving and changing, and embracing it, then we will also be willing to take constructive criticism as well as discern between what should be taken seriously and what should not be.

Effects Of Bullying On Self-Esteem

Remember the days when you’d go to school, make memories with your friends and enjoy your lunch with everyone? Those days are golden. Eating from each other’s lunch boxes was personally my favourite thing about school. These memories from school stay with us for about a lifetime. People say that school days were the best of their lives. But remember that shy and introverted kid who you made fun of for bringing the same food everyday? Or the kid who you passive aggressively forced to do your homework? What about them? What are their happy memories?

Self esteem is an individual’s subjective evaluation of their own worth. In order to have a truly healthy mental health, it’s important that your self esteem levels are high. This means that you are overall confident about yourself and feel good about being you. We all have our moments of embarrassment in our lives. Most of us get over it. But when we already have a low self esteem and something embarrassing happens to us, we forever build walls around ourselves and fail at developing healthy bonds with a lot of people.

These problems generally develop when we are in schools because our bodies have still not completely developed. Some girl who alfeady feels self conscious about her body will further get scarred if we are not welcoming and accepting her for who she is.

This brings me to the topic of effects of bullying on self esteem. Now, we know that bullying is not a good trait for a person. But why exactly?

It is because it’s effects on the child’s last for a long time. It not only makes the child feel less confident about themselves but they also start believing the things they are told. For example, if someone constantly makes fun of a girl’s weight in a passive aggressive manner, after sometime she will start believing these things. She will believe that she is fat.

She might start exercising and dieting tithe point she loses her consciousness and becomes anorexic. Or she might binge eat so much that she will jeopardize her health. And it will ultimately affect her mental health. We may not even realise it, but our small actions have a lasting effect on someone else.

Not just schools, bullying is a common occurrence not only in colleges but also in work places. In a research it was seen that people who were bullied at their work place had a lower self esteem than those who were not bullied. This was also noticed that people who were bullied quit their jobs at a higher rate than those who were not bullied.

In schools even the teachers are harsh on kids who are not doing well academically. Why do we not think that they might just be suffering at home because of a family dispute? Or maybe they have an intellectual disability? Instead of helping these kids, why does EVERYONE push them to the edge by calling out their weakness in a way that would make them lose their will to live!?! Why is it that their are so many kids who commit suicides so early in their lives!

We.. We are responsible for that. We are the ones who do this to them. We may not be ‘the bullies’ but even our snide remarks about their looks, or their grades or their work, make them feel like dying is better than going through all this. This says a lot about as a society. Is there no way we can change this disturbing tradition ?

Yes, there is a way. The change will come only if we are willing to change. The next time you see your fellow peer not doing well academically, ask them if they are going through something. Offer them your help. Talk to them. The next time you see your subordinate or a coworker making a mistake, teach them the right way of doing things instead of calling their mistakes out in a disrespectful way. They are humans too. And impart the same morals in your at an early age. Acceptance is the only way we can correct this situation. Accepting the people around you as they are. Accepting that you can be wrong too. And mainly, don’t let some bully bring your self esteem down. Even if they are your best friends. You deserve respect too. Wouldn’t the world be beautiful if everyone was looking out for everyone?

COVID-19 and Brain Damage

The novel Coronavirus, better known as Covid-19, has proved itself to be the biggest health crisis that mankind has seen in nearly a century. While the H1N1 influenza outbreak of 2009 was also a pandemic, it wasn’t as all-pervasive and life-disrupting as Covid-19 is, atleast to many parts of the world. Covid-19 is a disease caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS CoV-2 virus) which primarily attacks the lungs. It is largely spread from infected persons and leads to situations of community transmissions which can cause uncontrolled spreading of the infection and cause a huge number of deaths. This is currently a global health crisis and may change every aspect of the world as we know it.

The symptoms of the infection include fever, dry cough, and breathing difficulties. The infection is not usually fatal, although extra care should be taken by those with underlying health conditions, and it can be treated using medications since we do not have a vaccine yet. Much vigilance and care are taken regarding this and recovery rates are encouraging. However, new studies are starting to show that the virus does more than just affect the lungs. Even when the patient has recovered and tests negative for the COVID-19 test, the disease seems to affect the individual’s brain. It is not just the respiratory system that is attacked by the virus. The researchers at University College London (UCL) report that many COVID patients show conditions of a rare brain inflammatory condition usually only seen in children. Increase dizziness, weakness, and headaches among others are also now considered symptoms of the infection and they are all neurological. It can even cause delirium and long-lasting brain damage, studies say. The Hindu reports that UCL studies show “43 cases of patients with COVID-19 who suffered either temporary brain dysfunction, strokes, nerve damage or other serious brain effects”.

This is a cause of great concern for neurologists, medical professionals, and the governments of the world since it indicates that there can be a whole wave of neurological disorders and problems arising from this damage. It can even lead to an unprecedented medical crisis wherein newer ways of treatment have to be devised. The increasing number of studies that show such concomitant complications caused by the novel coronavirus is a warning that this disease has far-reaching effects, the extent, and scale of which we might not have yet understood. This is to be taken seriously by the world governments seeing how this can escalate demands on healthcare as well at a time when it is already under high pressure. It should also serve as a warning to the citizens of the world to not take this disease lightly and to follow government regulations. While one can always say that it is easy to recover from the disease and thereby it is okay to risk it, we should keep in mind that such findings only serve to prove that this infection can cause complications in our body that will not be cured when the infection is. Utmost caution and care should be taken in this situation to ensure that we keep our own selves and those around us safe. It is our duty and responsibility to be wise, alert and cautious at this time.

Blogging for Beginners

What is a blog?

A is a type of website that focuses mainly on written content, also known as blog posts. In popular culture we most often hear about news blogs or celebrity blog sites, but as you’ll see in this guide, you can start a successful blog on just about any topic imaginable.

Bloggers often write from a personal perspective that allows them to connect directly with their readers. In addition, most blogs also have a “comments” section where readers can correspond with the blogger. Interacting with your readers in the comments section helps to further the connection between the blogger and the reader.

This direct connection to the reader is one of the main benefits of starting a blog. This connection allows you to interact and share ideas with other like-minded people. It also allows you to build trust with your readers. Having the trust and loyalty of your readers also opens up the door to making money from your blog, which is something I discuss later in this guide.

To be successful as a blogger there is really just one requirement: a passion for your topic.

At its heart, blogging is about sharing your knowledge with the world. Choosing a topic that you are passionate about makes the process of starting a successful blog so much easier. Writing about more than one topic is totally fine too. As long as you are writing about things that you are genuinely interested in, your passion will shine through and keep your readers interested.

So why would you go to the trouble of blogging? There are a few reasons:

Make money from home. Blogging can be quite lucrative if done correctly. The top bloggers in the world obviously earn quite a bit, but even a part-time blogger can expect to make a nice profit if things are done correctly. The best part about it is that blogging is a form of passive income, since you can spend just a few hours a week writing a blog post and then continue to make money from it long after the blog post is written. I go into much more detail on how to blog for money later in this guide.
Share your story. A blog allows you to have a voice and be heard. You can share your story with the entire world if you so choose. One of the most common ways blogs are used are as a diary where the blogger writes about their daily experiences so that friends, family, and others can all be a part of their lives.
Recognition for yourself or your business. No, you probably won’t have paparazzi following you around because of your latest blog post. But a successful blog makes your idea into a reality, and can gain you a ton of recognition in your respective field. Many bloggers are known as experts just because of their blogs, and some have even gotten book and movie deals based on their blogs.
Find a community. Blogging at its heart is interactive. You write a blog post and people comment on it. This is a great way to connect with people who are interested in the same things as you are. Blogging allows you to teach these people based on your experience, and it gives you the opportunity to learn from your readers as well.

How to start a blog?

The good news is that the internet is exploding with growth right now. More people than ever are online. This explosion in growth means more potential readers for your blog. In short, if you are thinking about starting a blog then there is no better time than right now.

How to Start a Blog in 6 Steps

Learn how to create a blog in about 20 minutes following these steps:

Pick a blog name. Choose something descriptive.
Get your blog online. Register your blog and get hosting.
Customize your blog. Choose a free template and tweak it.
Write & publish your first post. The fun part!
Promote your blog. Get more people to read your blog.
Make money blogging. Choose from several options to monetize your blog.

Let’s start your blog!

Step 1: Pick a blog name

The first step to finding a good blog name is choosing your topic.

If you’re not sure what to blog about, there are a few ways to find a good blog topic:

Hobbies & passions. Hobbies or other interests you are passionate about are a great place to start. Cooking, travel, fashion, sports, and cars are all classic examples. But even blogs about more obscure hobbies can be successful, since the your audience is literally anyone in the world with the internet.
Life experiences. Everyone has lessons they have learned through life experience. Sharing this knowledge can be incredibly helpful to others in similar situations. For example, I recently helped a woman start her blog about being a fireman’s wife. She has a lot of experience and knowledge to share with others about this topic, and it has helped her connect with others in similar situations.Think about the things you have experienced in life. This could be related to your family (example: a blog about being a stay at home mom), work (a blog about experiences dealing with clients), or other life experiences (a blog about dealing with a troubling time such as a disease or divorce, or about a happy time such as preparing for a wedding or a birth of a child).
A personal blog. A personal blog is a blog all about you. This will include a variety of topics, from things you do on a daily basis, to random thoughts and musings. This is a great way to share you thoughts with the world without having to stick to just one topic.

How To Start A Blog In 2020An Easy Free Step-By-Step Beginner’s
Guide To Create A Blog In 20 Minutes

Updated July 5, 2020

Are you looking for a free, easy, step-by-step guide on how to start a blog?

My free guide on this page will show you how to create a blog that is beautiful and functional, all in an easy step-by-step tutorial (with pictures).

The Blog Starter's tutorial on how to start a blog for beginners

Ready to start the simple step-by-step tutorial? Click here to go to Step #1

My name is Scott Chow, and I am going to show you how to start blogging. I have been building blogs and websites since 2002. In that time I have launched several of my own blogs, and helped hundreds of others do the same.

I know that starting a blog can seem overwhelming and intimidating. This free guide is all about blogging for beginners, and will teach you how to be a blogger with just the most basic computer skills. So whether you’re 8 or 88, you can create your own blog in less than 20 minutes.

I am not ashamed to admit that when I was first learning how to build a blog I made a ton of mistakes. You can benefit from more than a decade of my experience so that you don’t repeat these same mistakes when you make your own blog. I created this free guide so that anyone can learn how to blog quickly and easily. And if you get stuck at any point, please send me a message and I will do my best to help you!

Skip the rest of this introduction and start building your blog!

What is a blog anyway?

In short, a blog is a type of website that focuses mainly on written content, also known as blog posts. In popular culture we most often hear about news blogs or celebrity blog sites, but as you’ll see in this guide, you can start a successful blog on just about any topic imaginable.

Should you start a blog?

Simple steps to help you create a blog easily

One of the misconceptions about starting a blog is that you need to be a great writer to be successful. Nothing could be further from the truth. People read blog sites to get a personal perspective on things, so most bloggers write in a very informal and conversational style.

In addition, you don’t need to be an expert on your topic in order to have a successful blog. For example, readers of a cooking blog don’t want to read a textbook from a food scientist, they want to hear the experiences of someone who has actually cooked some real meals, mistakes and all.

To be successful as a blogger there is really just one requirement: a passion for your topic.

So why would you go to the trouble of blogging? There are a few reasons:

Make money from home. Blogging can be quite lucrative if done correctly. The top bloggers in the world obviously earn quite a bit, but even a part-time blogger can expect to make a nice profit if things are done correctly. The best part about it is that blogging is a form of passive income, since you can spend just a few hours a week writing a blog post and then continue to make money from it long after the blog post is written. I go into much more detail on how to blog for money later in this guide.
Share your story. A blog allows you to have a voice and be heard. You can share your story with the entire world if you so choose. One of the most common ways blogs are used are as a diary where the blogger writes about their daily experiences so that friends, family, and others can all be a part of their lives.
Recognition for yourself or your business. No, you probably won’t have paparazzi following you around because of your latest blog post. But a successful blog makes your idea into a reality, and can gain you a ton of recognition in your respective field. Many bloggers are known as experts just because of their blogs, and some have even gotten book and movie deals based on their blogs.
Find a community. Blogging at its heart is interactive. You write a blog post and people comment on it. This is a great way to connect with people who are interested in the same things as you are. Blogging allows you to teach these people based on your experience, and it gives you the opportunity to learn from your readers as well.

So, just how do you start a blog?

How to Start a Blog in 6 Steps

Learn how to create a blog in about 20 minutes following these steps:

Pick a blog name. Choose something descriptive.
Get your blog online. Register your blog and get hosting.
Customize your blog. Choose a free template and tweak it.
Write & publish your first post. The fun part!
Promote your blog. Get more people to read your blog.
Make money blogging. Choose from several options to monetize your blog.

Let’s start your blog!

Step 1: Pick a blog name

The first step to finding a good blog name is choosing your topic.

If you’re not sure what to blog about, there are a few ways to find a good blog topic:

Hobbies & passions. Hobbies or other interests you are passionate about are a great place to start. Cooking, travel, fashion, sports, and cars are all classic examples. But even blogs about more obscure hobbies can be successful, since the your audience is literally anyone in the world with the internet.
Life experiences. Everyone has lessons they have learned through life experience. Sharing this knowledge can be incredibly helpful to others in similar situations. For example, I recently helped a woman start her blog about being a fireman’s wife. She has a lot of experience and knowledge to share with others about this topic, and it has helped her connect with others in similar situations.Think about the things you have experienced in life. This could be related to your family (example: a blog about being a stay at home mom), work (a blog about experiences dealing with clients), or other life experiences (a blog about dealing with a troubling time such as a disease or divorce, or about a happy time such as preparing for a wedding or a birth of a child).
A personal blog. A personal blog is a blog all about you. This will include a variety of topics, from things you do on a daily basis, to random thoughts and musings. This is a great way to share you thoughts with the world without having to stick to just one topic.

Once you have a topic it’s time to choose your blog name.

A good blog name should be descriptive so that potential readers can instantly tell what your blog is about just from the name.

If you are blogging about one specific topic then you will definitely want to include that in some way in your blog name. Try not to get hung-up on just one word though. For example, a cooking blog doesn’t necessarily have to have the word “cooking” in it. The words “food”, “recipes”, and “meals” would also let people know that your blog is about cooking.

If you are planning to create a personal blog where you discuss a variety of topics then I recommend using your name, or some variation of it, since your blog is all about you. For example, I own the blog scottchow.com. You can also add your middle name or middle initial if you find your name is already taken. Or you could use a variation like “Scott Chow Blog” or “Blogging with Scott”.

Can’t decide on a good name for your blog? Contact me and I will help you personally (for free)!

Once you have some blog name ideas you will need to choose a domain extension.
A .com domain extension is the most preferred, but .net or .org work as well. It is also important to note that for the purposes of a blog domain you cannot have any spaces between words. So “Blogging with Scott” becomes bloggingwithscott.com

Now that you’ve got your name and have picked an extension it’s time to make sure that no one else has already registered the same name:

See if your blog name is available

Note: You cannot use any spaces or punctuation other than dashes in a domain name.

If you find that the name you wanted is already taken there are a few things you can do:

Try a different domain extension. If the .com version is already registered you may still be able to get the .net or .org version of your blog name.
Add small words. Words like “a”, “my”, or “the”. For example, this site is called TheBlogStarter.com instead of BlogStarter.com.
Add dashes between words. For example, scott-chow.com

Step 2: Get your blog online

Now that you’ve got a name picked out it’s time to get your blog online. This might sound hard or technical, but the steps below will walk you right through and make the process easy.

To get your blog up and running you need two things: blog hosting and blogging software. The good news is that these typically come packaged together.

A blog host is a company that stores all of the files for your blog and delivers them to the user when they type in your blog name. You must have a blog host in order to have a blog.

Step 3: Customize your blog

In WordPress, blog layouts are known as “Themes”. What is a blog theme? Themes control the entire design of your blog. To change your theme you are going to click on the “Appearance” tab on the left menu.

You will see several themes are already installed on your blog: Twenty Seventeen, Twenty Sixteen, etc. These are well-designed, clean-looking themes that can work for just about any type of blog. In fact, many of the world’s top bloggers use one of these themes.

Unless you have a very specific design in mind for your blog, I suggest you use one of these themes to start with. For our example, let’s use the “Twenty Sixteen” theme. In order to activate the theme on your blog, hover over the theme and click the “Activate” button. That’s it! You have changed the entire design of your blog with just one click!

How To Start A Blog In 2020An Easy Free Step-By-Step Beginner’s
Guide To Create A Blog In 20 Minutes

Updated July 5, 2020

Are you looking for a free, easy, step-by-step guide on how to start a blog?

My free guide on this page will show you how to create a blog that is beautiful and functional, all in an easy step-by-step tutorial (with pictures).

Ready to start the simple step-by-step tutorial? Click here to go to Step #1

Skip the rest of this introduction and start building your blog!

What is a blog anyway?

Should you start a blog?

To be successful as a blogger there is really just one requirement: a passion for your topic.

So why would you go to the trouble of blogging? There are a few reasons:

Make money from home. Blogging can be quite lucrative if done correctly. The top bloggers in the world obviously earn quite a bit, but even a part-time blogger can expect to make a nice profit if things are done correctly. The best part about it is that blogging is a form of passive income, since you can spend just a few hours a week writing a blog post and then continue to make money from it long after the blog post is written. I go into much more detail on how to blog for money later in this guide.
Share your story. A blog allows you to have a voice and be heard. You can share your story with the entire world if you so choose. One of the most common ways blogs are used are as a diary where the blogger writes about their daily experiences so that friends, family, and others can all be a part of their lives.
Recognition for yourself or your business. No, you probably won’t have paparazzi following you around because of your latest blog post. But a successful blog makes your idea into a reality, and can gain you a ton of recognition in your respective field. Many bloggers are known as experts just because of their blogs, and some have even gotten book and movie deals based on their blogs.
Find a community. Blogging at its heart is interactive. You write a blog post and people comment on it. This is a great way to connect with people who are interested in the same things as you are. Blogging allows you to teach these people based on your experience, and it gives you the opportunity to learn from your readers as well.

So, just how do you start a blog?

How to Start a Blog in 6 Steps

Learn how to create a blog in about 20 minutes following these steps:

Pick a blog name. Choose something descriptive.
Get your blog online. Register your blog and get hosting.
Customize your blog. Choose a free template and tweak it.
Write & publish your first post. The fun part!
Promote your blog. Get more people to read your blog.
Make money blogging. Choose from several options to monetize your blog.

Let’s start your blog!

Step 1: Pick a blog name

The first step to finding a good blog name is choosing your topic.

If you’re not sure what to blog about, there are a few ways to find a good blog topic:

Hobbies & passions. Hobbies or other interests you are passionate about are a great place to start. Cooking, travel, fashion, sports, and cars are all classic examples. But even blogs about more obscure hobbies can be successful, since the your audience is literally anyone in the world with the internet.
Life experiences. Everyone has lessons they have learned through life experience. Sharing this knowledge can be incredibly helpful to others in similar situations. For example, I recently helped a woman start her blog about being a fireman’s wife. She has a lot of experience and knowledge to share with others about this topic, and it has helped her connect with others in similar situations.Think about the things you have experienced in life. This could be related to your family (example: a blog about being a stay at home mom), work (a blog about experiences dealing with clients), or other life experiences (a blog about dealing with a troubling time such as a disease or divorce, or about a happy time such as preparing for a wedding or a birth of a child).
A personal blog. A personal blog is a blog all about you. This will include a variety of topics, from things you do on a daily basis, to random thoughts and musings. This is a great way to share you thoughts with the world without having to stick to just one topic.

Once you have a topic it’s time to choose your blog name.

A good blog name should be descriptive so that potential readers can instantly tell what your blog is about just from the name.

Can’t decide on a good name for your blog? Contact me and I will help you personally (for free)!

Now that you’ve got your name and have picked an extension it’s time to make sure that no one else has already registered the same name:

See if your blog name is available

Note: You cannot use any spaces or punctuation other than dashes in a domain name.

If you find that the name you wanted is already taken there are a few things you can do:

Try a different domain extension. If the .com version is already registered you may still be able to get the .net or .org version of your blog name.
Add small words. Words like “a”, “my”, or “the”. For example, this site is called TheBlogStarter.com instead of BlogStarter.com.
Add dashes between words. For example, scott-chow.com

Step 2: Get your blog online

Now that you’ve got a name picked out it’s time to get your blog online. This might sound hard or technical, but the steps below will walk you right through and make the process easy.

To get your blog up and running you need two things: blog hosting and blogging software. The good news is that these typically come packaged together.

A blog host is a company that stores all of the files for your blog and delivers them to the user when they type in your blog name. You must have a blog host in order to have a blog.

Step 3: Customize your blog

Logging in

If you are not already logged-in from the previous step, go to Bluehost.com and click “Login” on the top right to bring up the login screen. You can then login using your domain name and the password you set in the previous step. If you have misplaced your password you can reset it by clicking the “Forgot Password” link.

Once you log-in you will be taken to your BlueHost Portal. From the portal you can click the blue “WordPress” button to be logged-in automatically to your blog.

Changing your blog design

Once you login you will be in the WordPress administrator area. This is where you can make any changes you want to your blog.

Everyone has a different idea of how they want their blog to look. One of the great things about a WordPress blog is that you can change your entire layout and design with just a few clicks.

If you don’t like any of the themes that are already installed you can easily choose from thousands of other free themes. To install a new theme, click on the “Appearance” tab on the left menu and then click “Add New Theme”.

This is the theme search screen. There are thousands of themes to choose from. You can change your entire design at anytime simply by activating a new theme. To find a theme you like, I suggest you click on the “Popular” tab and start browsing. When you find one that you like click the blue “Install” button.

Once the theme is installed click “Activate” to activate the theme on your blog. To see your new theme in action, go to your blog and take a look!

Changing your theme is the simplest way to customize your blog, but there are lots of other customizations you can do. Check out my full post on customizing your blog for an in-depth step-by-step guide. You can also watch the video at the end of this guide to see me completely customize a blog from scratch.

Step 4: How to write a blog post & publish it

Now that your blog is up and running it’s time to actually do some blogging!

Go to the left menu and click on “Posts”.

You will see there is already a post there. This is a default post on every new WordPress blog, and we don’t need it. To delete it click “Trash” just under the post.

Step 5: Promote your blog

Creating a well-designed blog and writing great content is just the start. In order to get readers for your blog you will need spend some time promoting it, especially when you first start. Click on the strategies below for more info.

How To Start A Blog In 2020An Easy Free Step-By-Step Beginner’s
Guide To Create A Blog In 20 Minutes

Updated July 5, 2020

Are you looking for a free, easy, step-by-step guide on how to start a blog?

My free guide on this page will show you how to create a blog that is beautiful and functional, all in an easy step-by-step tutorial (with pictures).

Ready to start the simple step-by-step tutorial? Click here to go to Step #1

Skip the rest of this introduction and start building your blog!

What is a blog anyway?

Should you start a blog?

To be successful as a blogger there is really just one requirement: a passion for your topic.

So why would you go to the trouble of blogging? There are a few reasons:

Make money from home. Blogging can be quite lucrative if done correctly. The top bloggers in the world obviously earn quite a bit, but even a part-time blogger can expect to make a nice profit if things are done correctly. The best part about it is that blogging is a form of passive income, since you can spend just a few hours a week writing a blog post and then continue to make money from it long after the blog post is written. I go into much more detail on how to blog for money later in this guide.
Share your story. A blog allows you to have a voice and be heard. You can share your story with the entire world if you so choose. One of the most common ways blogs are used are as a diary where the blogger writes about their daily experiences so that friends, family, and others can all be a part of their lives.
Recognition for yourself or your business. No, you probably won’t have paparazzi following you around because of your latest blog post. But a successful blog makes your idea into a reality, and can gain you a ton of recognition in your respective field. Many bloggers are known as experts just because of their blogs, and some have even gotten book and movie deals based on their blogs.
Find a community. Blogging at its heart is interactive. You write a blog post and people comment on it. This is a great way to connect with people who are interested in the same things as you are. Blogging allows you to teach these people based on your experience, and it gives you the opportunity to learn from your readers as well.

So, just how do you start a blog?

How to Start a Blog in 6 Steps

Learn how to create a blog in about 20 minutes following these steps:

Pick a blog name. Choose something descriptive.
Get your blog online. Register your blog and get hosting.
Customize your blog. Choose a free template and tweak it.
Write & publish your first post. The fun part!
Promote your blog. Get more people to read your blog.
Make money blogging. Choose from several options to monetize your blog.

Let’s start your blog!

Step 1: Pick a blog name

The first step to finding a good blog name is choosing your topic.

If you’re not sure what to blog about, there are a few ways to find a good blog topic:

Hobbies & passions. Hobbies or other interests you are passionate about are a great place to start. Cooking, travel, fashion, sports, and cars are all classic examples. But even blogs about more obscure hobbies can be successful, since the your audience is literally anyone in the world with the internet.
Life experiences. Everyone has lessons they have learned through life experience. Sharing this knowledge can be incredibly helpful to others in similar situations. For example, I recently helped a woman start her blog about being a fireman’s wife. She has a lot of experience and knowledge to share with others about this topic, and it has helped her connect with others in similar situations.Think about the things you have experienced in life. This could be related to your family (example: a blog about being a stay at home mom), work (a blog about experiences dealing with clients), or other life experiences (a blog about dealing with a troubling time such as a disease or divorce, or about a happy time such as preparing for a wedding or a birth of a child).
A personal blog. A personal blog is a blog all about you. This will include a variety of topics, from things you do on a daily basis, to random thoughts and musings. This is a great way to share you thoughts with the world without having to stick to just one topic.

Once you have a topic it’s time to choose your blog name.

A good blog name should be descriptive so that potential readers can instantly tell what your blog is about just from the name.

Can’t decide on a good name for your blog? Contact me and I will help you personally (for free)!

Now that you’ve got your name and have picked an extension it’s time to make sure that no one else has already registered the same name:

See if your blog name is available

Note: You cannot use any spaces or punctuation other than dashes in a domain name.

If you find that the name you wanted is already taken there are a few things you can do:

Try a different domain extension. If the .com version is already registered you may still be able to get the .net or .org version of your blog name.
Add small words. Words like “a”, “my”, or “the”. For example, this site is called TheBlogStarter.com instead of BlogStarter.com.
Add dashes between words. For example, scott-chow.com

Step 2: Get your blog online

Now that you’ve got a name picked out it’s time to get your blog online. This might sound hard or technical, but the steps below will walk you right through and make the process easy.

To get your blog up and running you need two things: blog hosting and blogging software. The good news is that these typically come packaged together.

A blog host is a company that stores all of the files for your blog and delivers them to the user when they type in your blog name. You must have a blog host in order to have a blog.

You also need to have the software to build your blog. In this guide I will be showing you how to build a blog using the WordPress blogging software, because it is the most popular, customizable, and easiest to use.

The blog host I recommend, and the one I show you how to use in this guide, is BlueHost. I personally use BlueHost and I recommend them for all new bloggers because:

They will register your blog name for you for free, making sure no one else can take it.
They offer a free, simple installation of the WordPress blogging software (which I show you how to use in this guide).
They have been recommended by WordPress since 2005 and currently host over 2 million blogs and websites.
They have helpful 24/7 customer service via phone or web chat.
They have a 30 day money-back guarantee if you are unsatisfied for any reason.

Use any BlueHost link on this site to make sure you get the special discount price of $2.75 per month.

Disclosure: BlueHost compensates The Blog Starter when you purchase through this link, so my services are free of charge to you! In fact, if you have any trouble at all setting up a blog with this tutorial, just contact me and I will do it for you (free!).

1. Click here for the special $2.75 per month rate on BlueHost and then click “get started now”.

2. Select your plan. I recommend that new bloggers get the basic plan. Click “Select” to choose your plan.

3. Type in your domain name in the left box and then click “next” to start the registration process.

If you already own a domain name and want to use it for your blog, type your existing domain in the right box and then click “next”. Only use the right box if you have previously paid to register a domain!

4. Fill out your billing details on the registration page.

5. You will also need to choose your hosting package and options.

All packages have everything you need to get your blog up and running, including a free domain name, easy WordPress blog installation, web hosting, and branded email accounts (e.g. yourname@yourdomain.com).
The 36 month package gets you the lowest monthly rate, while the 12 month package has a lower up-front cost.
I uncheck the boxes next to the other products when I sign-up. You can always get these products later if you decide you need them.

6. You will then need to create your account and password.

Once you do that you will be taken to an installation helper. Since you are following this tutorial you can just click “Skip this step” on the next few pages to be taken directly to the dashboard.

Now your blog software (WordPress) will be installed. Once the install is complete click the blue “WordPress” button to be logged-in to the administrator area of your blog.

Having trouble installing your blog? Get help here.

Step 3: Customize your blog

Logging in

Once you log-in you will be taken to your BlueHost Portal. From the portal you can click the blue “WordPress” button to be logged-in automatically to your blog.

Changing your blog design

Once you login you will be in the WordPress administrator area. This is where you can make any changes you want to your blog.

Everyone has a different idea of how they want their blog to look. One of the great things about a WordPress blog is that you can change your entire layout and design with just a few clicks.

Once the theme is installed click “Activate” to activate the theme on your blog. To see your new theme in action, go to your blog and take a look!

Step 4: How to write a blog post & publish it

Now that your blog is up and running it’s time to actually do some blogging!

Go to the left menu and click on “Posts”.

You will see there is already a post there. This is a default post on every new WordPress blog, and we don’t need it. To delete it click “Trash” just under the post.

To begin writing a new post, click the “Add New” link.

You are now on the post editor screen. Enter the title of your post in the top box and then begin writing your post in the lower box.

If you would like to add a picture to your post, click on the “Add Image” icon and click “Upload” to upload a picture from your computer. You can make adjustments to the picture size on the next screen. When you are ready click “Insert into post” to add the picture.

Once you have finished your post just click the “Publish” button on the top right side of the screen to publish it.

Publishing Your Blog

Even after you have written a post your blog may still be showing a “Coming Soon” page.

When you are ready to make your blog public just click the “BlueHost” menu at the top left of the menu in your administrator area then click the blue “Launch” button to remove the “Coming Soon” page.

Congratulations! You now know how to start your own blog and publish content!

For more info on blog content guidelines, click the tabs below:

Content That Should be on Your Blog

How to write a great blog post

Step 5: Promote your blog

Alert Your Inner Circle

Use Social Media

Comment on Other Blogs

Engage with Your Readers

Collaborate

Create an Email List

Submit to Search Engines

SEO

Step 6: Make money blogging

Once you have put in the effort of creating great blog content and promoting your blog, making money from your blog is actually the easy part.

Blogs have the potential to be extremely lucrative, but don’t assume that you’re going to start making money in the first week, or even in the first month. It could take six months to a year to start seeing a steady stream of income. Blogging takes work and dedication, but once you develop a large enough audience, there are several methods you can employ to monetize your blog.

Improving your Communication Skills

English is the world’s lingua franca, a common language that people with different native languages can use to communicate.

Thanks to English, people with completely different native languages—maybe Hindi, French and Japanese—can sit down and have a conversation together.

English now spans across countries and cultures, and the ability to speak it well will open many doors for your career and social life.

The more fluent you are in English, the more interesting, exciting and insightful conversations you can have.

It enables life-enriching experiences like traveling, studying and working abroad, not only in the US but also many other countries where English is widely spoken.

The world is your oyster (the world is yours).

The other good news is that you can improve English speaking skills without a classroom partner or stressful lessons. It’s totally possible to have fun and master speaking a language at the same time.

Pronouncing the words correctly is the key to eloquence, but it is not everything. This article will take you beyond the foundational aspects to reach communicative competence.

Build a Strong Foundation

In order to express yourself eloquently in English, you need a wide variety of vocabulary and the correct pronunciation.

1. Expand your vocabulary

Learn New Words Every Day

Gleaning new words day in, day out is a good way to widen your vocabulary. Commit to a suitable target: it can be three daily words or it can be ten daily words.

Even if you only have time to learn one new word per day, it is still worth trying. By learning one word every day, after one year you will have learned 365 new English words.

Write the number down to remind yourself frequently. If you have a learning partner, share it with her so that she can check on your progress.

Some good resources for words are the news, songs and TV shows, depending on your daily habits. If you love listening to music, pay attention to the lyrics and take note of the words you do not know. Songs often contain a lot of useful vocabulary, phrases and expressions, therefore, they are great for learning English. You can do the same thing with FluentU videos.

Learn Words in Phrases and Chunks

It is important that you learn words in groups. For example, you refer to beverages as a glass of wine, a pint of beer, a cup of tea, a pot of coffee, etc. It is better to learn those phrases than merely wine, beer, tea and so on.

You can also benefit from learning words that are related. The moon has four phases during a lunar month: crescent, gibbon, waxing and waning. It is more efficient to learn all four words at the same time.

2. Improve your pronunciation

You might know a lot of words, but if you fail to say them correctly, you will not be understood. That seems like a waste of the time spent on remembering words, right?

When using online dictionaries such as Macmillan and Merriam-Webster, make use of the little speaker symbol to check the pronunciation of any word that you are not sure about. There are English pronunciation tutorials on YouTube or podcasts like English Pronunciation Pod or American English Pronunciation to teach you the many aspects of American English pronunciation.

When you are ready for something more challenging, try out tongue twisters. Some examples are available here. Personally, I love the Fork handles sketch from the show “The Two Ronnies.” It might not be a typical example of everyday conversation, but it shows you the richness of spoken English. Besides, you will have a good laugh.

3. Learn the natural flow of English

Being able to say individual words correctly is great, but the secret of speaking fluently lies in the flow of sentences. Whenever you read a piece of poetry, listen to a melodic song or watch a hilarious sitcom, pay attention to the following:

Linking. Notice how native speakers link words together: joining two sounds, making a sound to disappear or changing a sound for a better flow.
Contractions. Contractions are shortened forms of two words. For example:
- I + am = I’m
- he + will = he’ll
- they + have = they’ve
- do + not = don’t
Stress. There are stressed syllables in a word and stressed words in a sentence.
Rhythm. The rhythm is the overall result of stress, contractions and linking. It is the ups and downs, the musical feature of English.

Techniques to Improve English Speaking Skills

Now that you have a strong foundation, you can apply some techniques to hone (improve) your English speaking skills.

4. Speech shadowing

In a nutshell, this technique is about imitation. You listen to how a native speaker says something and try to copy it.

Pick your favorite video with subtitles. Make sure that it is something you enjoy watching because you will…
Listen to it many times. Listen to the video once and read the subtitles to get a good grasp of the general content and flow. While you are playing it again, complete the next step.
Imitate the narrator sentence by sentence. Play. Listen. Pause. Speak. Record (optional). Copy the speech pattern as best as you can. If you choose to record your practice, you can compare yours and the original. Or else, just listen to your own sound and be critical of the difference or similarity. Repeat this step until the end of the video.

5. Self-talk

Talk to yourself in English loudly. It can be anything from a suggestion like, “Shall we go get a glass of water?” or a reminder, “I need to do a load of laundry today.”

Alternatively, pick up a book and read a couple of pages out loud. This exercise might slow down your reading, but it will speed up your speaking skills.

You can also record yourself, listen to the recording and watch out for any wrong pronunciations. If it is possible, ask for feedback from a native speaker.

6. Think in English

If you already think in English, it takes less time to produce or respond in everyday conversations. No translation needed!

A good way to start rethinking is to keep a diary where you express your daily thoughts in English. It does not have to be perfect, it is more about getting out thoughts in English with less and less effort.

7. Retell a story in English

Take the challenge a step further by retelling a story. You retrace other people’s line of thoughts in your own words.

I would start with a familiar story from your culture. Your translation needs to convey not only the meaning of words but all rhetorical and cultural nuances.

Alternatively, you can choose different words to retell a simple story in English. Start from the basics, reading something like a fairy tale or a fable. Either way will be beneficial to your English communication skills.

Frequently Practice to Improve Your English Speaking Skills

Practice makes perfect, so do speak English in plenty. Some people think that they do not have the opportunity to practice speaking because they do not live in the US or another English-speaking country. They might also be discouraged because English is not used at their workplace, or they do not know any native speakers.

There is some validity in those excuses, but do not let them hinder your learning. Thanks to the growth of globalization and technology, you have more chances than ever to practice speaking English. You’ll find many ideas below.

8. Participate in public speaking events

Big universities, theaters and culture societies organize events like open debates, spoken word readings and improvised storytelling gatherings. These are places where you can come and mingle with like-minded people and practice speaking English.

Many cities are now hosting TED or TEDx talks where you can register to participate and share your innovative ideas. Check the events page of your local university to see if there are any available. It might be a nerve-racking experience, but it would be great for your English!

9. Go to language cafes

If public speaking terrifies you (and I know it does for many), you can opt for language cafes. Those cafes create a friendly and relaxing atmosphere for people who want to practice and exchange languages.

You can find language cafes through local universities or the Meetup groups available in your cities.

10. Using apps

Another option is to use an app to talk to native speakers online, in the comfort of your own home. Some popular apps are HelloTalk and Tandem. Basically, you register for an account, introduce yourself, your native language and your hobbies. The app will find you some matches—the people who speak English and want to practice the language you know well. All you need to do is to press a few buttons and start talking.

11. Chat with Siri

I find chatting with Siri is a great way to force myself to speak more clearly. As Siri is a machine, you cannot rely on environmental clues and facial gestures to get your ideas across. Your words are the only tool you have to make yourself understood. Thus, you need to speak as clearly and precisely as you could.

Another plus point of using Siri is that she is always available (as long as your phone is charged and connected to a WiFi network). Just press the home button and start asking questions.

If you own an Android smartphone, you can practice speaking with Google Now.

So, off you go! Choose your preferred method to expand your vocabulary, correct your pronunciation, and boost your English speaking with the methods that are right for you. Do not forget to practice as much as possible.

How NGO can help in improving the lives of poor

“You will discover that you have two hands. One is for helping yourself and the other is for helping others.”

By Audrey Hepburn

This quote is only for NGOs and their volunteers who work selflessly and priceless for others. They are next to God for the one who get benefited from there services. Actually NGO’s help people for doing some worthy or deserving things in there life. These NGO’s are working so nicely because of the people who are associated with them and give their heart and soul for betterment of people, culture and environment.

NGO’s plays a significant role in providing services, relief and other amenities to individuals or community who are suffering from various problems like poverty, certain type of disease, child labour, etc. The main problem in our country is poverty as our country’s population is second largest in the world but these NGO’s are really doing great work by providing various opportunities to the people like employment opportunity, providing them training on various courses like plumbing, tailoring and beautician course and by forming self-help groups. These NGO’s are providing consistent benefits to many families both in rural and urban areas. NGO’s contribute in several ways to ensure that India sees poverty eradication, sustainable growth and empowerment of underprivileged section of our society. And these all can be achieved through following these points:

Sustainable Development- This idea is to help the present day community to grow and advance without affecting the resources of future generation as we have to pass these valuable resources to our coming generations. And this can be done with the help of our NGOs.
Poverty Alleviation- As our country has shifted towards developing nation and is showing tremendous economic advancement and is now access to clean water, sanitation, housing, quality education, healthcare and nutrition. But then also some sections of our country are deprived of these valuable resources and that’s why NGOs provide these information by spreading awareness, sensitisation and development programmes.
Children Empowerment- As they are considered as the future of our country and a well educated, happy and prosperous child will turn to be a responsible adult in future so providing them the essential services they deserve should be our priority and support is given by our NGOs. Some examples of well known NGOs are Goonj, Child in Need Institute, Katha, Help India, CRY, Lepra Society, Smile Foundation, Rural Health Care Foundation, etc.

But these NGOs face some challenges too they are lack of credibility, getting the right people on board, getting people to support an NGO, lack of funds and resources, absence of strategic planning, poor governance and networking, limited capacity, etc. So as these challenges are coming as a hurdle in front of the NGOs which we have to erradicate by taking some steps like spreading awareness, tracing the one who can donate, establishing network, etc.

Finally, with every passing day new NGOs are coming into existence but only a few of them are able to survive and are becoming successful as they are seriously doing their work as it is ultimately reflected from there work. Everybody should actively participate in these NGOs as they are also one of the part of our society. NGOs have bought a holistic change in socio-economic landscape of India. So lastly,

” No one has ever becoming poor by giving.”- By Anne Frank

Continue reading →

WATER

Water is a colorless and odorless substance found all over the earth.water is made up of billions of molecules……..water on our planet flows as liquid in river,steams and oceans ,.is solid as ice at the north and south poles .and is gas (vapor )in the atmosphere .water is also underground and inside plants and animals. Water is very very important for every .Because without water we cannot survive. Everyone wants water.

Importance of water.,water carries nutrients to all cellS in our body and oxygen to our brain .water allows the body to absorb and assimilate minerals, vitamins, amino acid .glucose and other substances .water flushes out toxins and waste.water helps to regulate body temperature.

Water,a substance composed of the chemical elements hydrogen and oxygen and existing in gaseous ,liquid, and solid states .it is one of the most plentiful and essential compounds .A testless and odourless liquid at room temperature. It has the important ability to dissolve many other substances .

68.7% of the fresh water on earth is trapped in glaciers .30% of fresh water is in the ground.1.7% of the world’s water is frozen and there fore unusable .approximately 400 billion gallons of water are used in the United state per day ……….nearly one-half of the water used by Americans is used for thermoelectric power generation.

The world water resources

Water resources are natural resources of water.that are potentially useful. Uses of water include agriculture, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities .all living things require water to grow and reproduce .

97%of water on the earth is salt water and only 3% is fresh water. Slightly over two third of this is frozen in glicers and polar ice caps .this remaining unfrozen fresh water is found mainly as ground water ,with only a small fraction percent above ground or in the air

The world water

there’s a whole lot of water on Earth!something like (326 million trillion gallons )found in our earth

water is one of the most important substances on earth.All plant and animals must have water to survive. If there was no water .there would be no life on earth.

Why should we care about light pollution?

Among the various kinds of pollutions that we discuss about and find measures to deal with in the contemporary world , light pollution is probably the one least known and consequently least discussed. This is particularly a problem in developed countries and the metropolitan cities of the world owing to the increased commercial activity. Lights are always on and roads are always illuminated. People work longer into the night and many go to sleep late as a routine. This phenomenon is increasingly seen in different parts of the world as we move towards greater urbanization and longer days of work.

aerial photo of cityscape at night

Light pollution is also known as luminous pollution. It refers to the excessive use of artificial light to such an extent that it is obtrusive and starts harming the environment. This is a direct result of our modern and industrial lifestyle. Light pollution is important because it is also a way through which humans leave their carbon imprint on the planet. It is seen that increased light pollution can create health issues as well as be harmful to wildlife and the natural environment. It affects nocturnal animals more and can even have an effect on the physiology of plants. It can disrupt normal migration patterns and the biochemical rhythmic cycles of nature which rely on the variations of light and dark during the day. In humans, it can cause stress, headaches, fatigue, sleeplessness, and many lifestyle disorders. It can even cause depression or cardiovascular diseases. Light pollution makes it extremely difficult to see the night sky as it is without the extraneous lights that tend to get in our eyes thereby dimming our view of the sky. The peace of the night sky and the view it offers has become difficult to find. Increased light pollution also interferes with research related to astronomy and can lead to calculation errors as well. This interference is the reason even astro-photographers search for places where there are no extra lights to click pictures of the night sky. These dark spaces where only natural illumination is present are decreasing at a rapid rate. Many researchers opine that the darkness of the night is essential for us and have to be reclaimed. The excessive light used causes a massive waste of energy also which directly increased the carbon footprint that humans leave on the planet.

We can do much to reduce light pollution if we are thoughtful and take some simple measures. Making sure that we do not use an unnecessary amount of illumination in our homes and streets is an effective method that can help. Turn off lights that are unnecessary. Wastage of light energy has to be reduced as well. So, we can use light bulbs that are energy efficient and use light shields to reduce glares. LED lights if used well can be an answer here. We can also work towards policies that seek better strategies of utilizing light energy and is eco-friendly. Spread awareness about this issue and help others to use their lights efficiently. All these will aid us in protecting our planet better and being responsible guardians of it.

How to be positive?

Positive thinking can lead to a lot of positive change in your life. Developing an optimistic outlook can be good for both your physical and mental health.

But sometimes, certain situations arise in life that makes it hard to keep a positive outlook. Take steps to make positive thinking become more like your second nature and you’ll reap the biggest benefits.

1. Start the day with a positive affirmation.

How you start the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. Have you ever woken up late, panicked, and then felt like nothing good happened the rest of the day? This is likely because you started out the day with a negative emotion and a pessimistic view that carried into every other event you experienced. Instead of letting this dominate you, start your day with positive affirmations. Talk to yourself in the mirror, even if you feel silly, with statements like, “Today will be a good day” or “I’m going to be awesome today.” You’ll be amazed how much your day improves.

2. Focus on the good things, however small

Almost invariably, you’re going to encounter obstacles throughout the day—there’s no such thing as a perfect day. When you encounter such a challenge, focus on the benefits, no matter how slight or unimportant they seem. For example, if you get stuck in traffic, think about how you now have time to listen to the rest of your favorite podcast. If the store is out of the food you want to prepare, think about the thrill of trying something new.

3. Find humor in bad situations

Allow yourself to experience humor in even the darkest or most trying situations. Remind yourself that this situation will probably make for a good story later and try to crack a joke about it. Say you’re laid off; imagine the most absurd way you could spend your last day, or the most ridiculous job you could pursue next—like kangaroo handler or bubblegum sculptor.

6.Turn failures into lessons.

You aren’t perfect. You’re going to make mistakes and experience failure in multiple contexts, at multiple jobs and with multiple people. Instead of focusing on how you failed, think about what you’re going to do next time—turn your failure into a lesson. Conceptualize this in concrete rules. For example, you could come up with three new rules for managing projects as a result.

5. Transform negative self-talk into positive self-talk.

Negative self-talk can creep up easily and is often hard to notice. You might think I’m so bad at this or I shouldn’t have tried that. But these thoughts turn into internalized feelings and might cement your conceptions of yourself. When you catch yourself doing this, stop and replace those negative messages with positive ones. For example, I’m so bad at this becomes Once I get more practice, I’ll be way better at this. I shouldn’t have tried becomes That didn’t work out as planned—maybe next time.

6. Focus on the present.

I’m talking about the present—not today, not this hour, only this exact moment. You might be getting chewed out by your boss, but what in this exact moment is happening that’s so bad? Forget the comment he made five minutes ago. Forget what he might say five minutes from now. Focus on this one, individual moment. In most situations, you’ll find it’s not as bad as you imagine it to be. Most sources of negativity stem from a memory of a recent event or the exaggerated imagination of a potential future event. Stay in the present moment

Pressure On Students To Do Well

Our extended families probably don’t wish us on our birthdays, don’t talk to us to ask about our general health from time to time. But they always call us the moment our results are declared. They pry on our very move after our results are out. And they always look out to see if their child is better than everyone else. Heck even our neighbors ring our doorbells to ask our parents about our result.

If you are a high achiever they would expect nothing less than admissions in the top universities. But if you are of any ‘other‘ category, you have to go through a kind of pressure that is worse than that of anything else. Your parents keep hovering over you to get good grades. Mostly because they want a bright future for you. Partly because they want to look proud infront of others. They want to boast about their child’s achievements. Sometimes, they worry a hundred times more than their child because they know what the society expects from them.

And because of all these multiple kinds of stress, the worst affected are the students. They study day and night, all year long. They study so much that sometimes they literally faint walking down their school halls. Because they too don’t want to disappoint their parents. They too, want their parents to boast about them in family and social gatherings. Why do we forget that ultimately they are just kids right now?!

Now with the current situation of Covid 19, I can’t imagine what these kids must be going through. Exams were cancelled. Students who were not very good at one subject were hoping that they would cover up in the upcoming exams. Now that the result is going to be declared soon, they are continuously on the edge. Some of them are sleeping too less or too much. Some of them are binge eating or not eating much. Their mental health is at stake and in grave danger.

So, to all those students who are going through a tough time, I would like to say that all this stress and anxiety is not worth it. Even if you don’t score as well as you expected, always remember that no matter what, your parents will never stop loving you. It all works out for the best in the end. If you score well, COODOES to you because you have made your life just a bit easier. Yes, just a little bit. Because this is just the beginning. Once you enter college it’s a whole different ball game. And once you get a job, forget about a comfortable social life.

Friends, it’s an endless cycle of struggle no matter how well you do. So take a break. Relax a little. Try to calm yourself down. Because that’s all you can do right now. What’s done is done. Start planning your timetable. For example, wake up, exercise a little, eat, spend a healthy time with your parents, call up your friends, play video games, watch movies and eat lots of food.

Because no matter what, at the end of the day you are going to make your parents proud. It’s a long way ahead. Don’t think too much about those prying relatives and neighbors. You are different. You are unique and you are special in your own way. Don’t forget that no one can steal this time from you. It’s yours. Develop a hobby and find out your zing. Live your life. Because if not now, then never!

Employee Empowerment

“Empower your employees to make decision on their own, even if it means making a mistake.”

By Shep Hyken

Empowerment is the process of giving power, authority of decision making, responsibility and resources to an employee in the organisation. It is the process of empowering the employees so that they take the initiative and utilise their skills, knowledge, abilities and creativity by accepting accountability for their work. In order to take such initiatives and decision the employee needs adequate training, relevant information, tools and resources. Empowerment focuses on employees so that they can use their full potential towards taking decision, setting goals, accomplishing the goals and receiving rewards. Empowerment takes place when higher level transfers the power, authority and responsibility to lower level employees. Employee Empowerment is a continuous or ongoing process as it helps in achieving the predetermined goals of the organisation. Through empowering the employee becomes “self directed” and “self controlled”, they feel motivated and develops a sense of commitment. It helps in increasing the confidence of the employees. It generally occurs in human beings as we desire for recognition and rewards, power, status and responsibility. The process of empowerment also helps in increasing the productivity which can further reduce the cost. As we know that individual and organisational goals are not different from each other rather they are interdependent on eachother and if we empower an employee his morale will increase and this will help in achieving our organisational goals.

Pros of Employee Empowerment

Helps in saving cost – Empowering those employees who have years of experience and allowing these employees to suggest and make changes that can make their jobs more efficient, companies benefit by saving money.
Boost Morale – Employees who are empowered in their jobs experience a sense of responsibility. They know that there ideas matter a lot to the success of the organisation. This can even reduce employee turnover rate as they experience satisfaction from the organisation.
Less stress on Managers and Supervisors – As in employee empowerment, higher level transfers the power, authority, responsibility and accountability to lower level employees so now they don’t have to take day-to-day decisions and can focus on key areas like making strategies, network building, etc which reduces the stress on managers and supervisors.

Cons of Employee Empowerment

Demoralisation – Although empowerment seems attractive to many people but not every employee wants authority and responsibility that comes to them. So, if we force those employees for taking the additional responsibilities they may become seriously demoralised.
Security – Empowerment may lead to leakage of critical data as information comes and is shared by all.
Delay in taking important decision – When employees get authority and responsibility to make their own decisions, it can slow down the process of decision making as quick decisions can’t generally be made.
Increase in Risk – Empowering an employee who has lack of experience can increase the number of mistakes made and can put reputation at risk. So in order to minimise this situation proper training should be provided to the employee.

So, the key practices that will help you to empower your employees are delegate responsibility, share your vision and recognise good performance.

Last But Not the Least

We know that employee empowerment is a positive element in an organisation as it develops self confidence, commitment and loyalty among employees.

Air Pollution

What Is Air Pollution?

Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air that are detrimental to human health and the planet as a whole.

The Clean Air Act authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect public health by regulating the emissions of these harmful air pollutants. The NRDC has been a leading authority on this law since it was established in 1970.

What Causes Air Pollution?

“Most air pollution comes from energy use and production,” says John Walke, director of the Clean Air Project, part of the Climate and Clean Air program at NRDC. “Burning fossil fuels releases gases and chemicals into the air.” And in an especially destructive feedback loop, air pollution not only contributes to climate change but is also exacerbated by it. “Air pollution in the form of carbon dioxide and methane raises the earth’s temperature,” Walke says. “Another type of air pollution is then worsened by that increased heat: Smog forms when the weather is warmer and there’s more ultraviolet radiation.” Climate change also increases the production of allergenic air pollutants including mold (thanks to damp conditions caused by extreme weather and increased flooding) and pollen (due to a longer pollen season and more pollen production).

Effects of Air Pollution

“While we’ve made progress over the last 40-plus years improving air quality in the U.S. thanks to the Clean Air Act, climate change will make it harder in the future to meet pollution standards, which are designed to protect health,” says Kim Knowlton, senior scientist and deputy director of the NRDC Science Center.

Smog and soot

These two are the most prevalent types of air pollution. Smog, or “ground-level ozone,” as it is more wonkily called, occurs when emissions from combusting fossil fuels react with sunlight. Soot, or “particulate matter,” is made up of tiny particles of chemicals, soil, smoke, dust, or allergens, in the form of gas or solids, that are carried in the air. The EPA’s “Plain English Guide to the Clean Air Act” states, “In many parts of the United States, pollution has reduced the distance and clarity of what we see by 70 percent.” The sources of smog and soot are similar. “Both come from cars and trucks, factories, power plants, incinerators, engines—anything that combusts fossil fuels such as coal, gas, or natural gas,” Walke says. The tiniest airborne particles in soot—whether they’re in the form of gas or solids—are especially dangerous because they can penetrate the lungs and bloodstream and worsen bronchitis, lead to heart attacks, and even hasten death.

Smog can irritate the eyes and throat and also damage the lungs—especially of people who work or exercise outside, children, and senior citizens. It’s even worse for people who have asthma or allergies—these extra pollutants only intensify their symptoms and can trigger asthma attacks.

Hazardous air pollutants

These are either deadly or have severe health risks even in small amounts. Almost 200 are regulated by law; some of the most common are mercury, lead, dioxins, and benzene. “These are also most often emitted during gas or coal combustion, incinerating, or in the case of benzene, found in gasoline,” Walke says. Benzene, classified as a carcinogen by the EPA, can cause eye, skin, and lung irritation in the short term and blood disorders in the long term. Dioxins, more typically found in food but also present in small amounts in the air, can affect the liver in the short term and harm the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, as well as reproductive functions. Lead in large amounts can damage children’s brains and kidneys, and even in small amounts it can affect children’s IQ and ability to learn. Mercury affects the central nervous system.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, are toxic components of traffic exhaust and wildfire smoke. In large amounts, they have been linked to eye and lung irritation, blood and liver issues, and even cancer. In one recent study, the children of mothers who’d had higher PAH exposure during pregnancy had slower brain processing speeds and worse symptoms of ADHD.

Greenhouse gases

By trapping the earth’s heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases lead to warmer temperatures and all the hallmarks of climate change: rising sea levels, more extreme weather, heat-related deaths, and increasing transmission of infectious diseases like Lyme. According to a 2014 EPA study, carbon dioxide was responsible for 81 percent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and methane made up 11 percent. “Carbon dioxide comes from combusting fossil fuels, and methane comes from natural and industrial sources, including the large amounts that are released during oil and gas drilling,” Walke says. “We emit far larger amounts of carbon dioxide, but methane is significantly more potent, so it’s also very destructive.” Another class of greenhouse gases, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), are thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide in their ability to trap heat. In October 2016, more than 140 countries reached an agreement to reduce the use of these chemicals—which are used in air conditioners and refrigerators—and find greener alternatives over time. David Doniger, director of NRDC’s Climate and Clean Air program, writes, “NRDC estimates that the agreed HFC phase-down will avoid the equivalent of more than 80 billion tons of CO₂ over the next 35 years.”

Pollen and mold

Mold and allergens from trees, weeds, and grass are also carried in the air, are exacerbated by climate change, and can be hazardous to health. They are not regulated by the government and are less directly connected to human actions, but they can be considered air pollution. “When homes, schools, or businesses get water damage, mold can grow and can produce allergenic airborne pollutants,” Knowlton says. “Mold exposure can precipitate asthma attacks or an allergic response, and some molds can even produce toxins that would be dangerous for anyone to inhale.”

Pollen allergies are worsening because of climate change. “Lab and field studies are showing that the more carbon dioxide pollen-producing plants—especially ragweed—are grown in, the bigger they grow and the more pollen they produce,” Knowlton says. “Climate change also extends the pollen production season, and some studies are beginning to suggest that ragweed pollen itself might be becoming a more potent allergen.” That means more people will suffer runny noses, fevers, itchy eyes, and other symptoms.

How to Help Reduce Air Pollution

“The less gasoline we burn, the better we’re doing to reduce air pollution and harmful effects of climate change,” Walke says. “Make good choices about transportation. When you can, walk, ride a bike, or take public transportation. For driving, choose cars that get better miles per gallon of gas or choose an electric car.” You can also investigate your power provider options—you may be able to request that your electricity be supplied by wind or solar. Buying your food locally cuts down on the fossil fuels burned in trucking or flying food in from across the country. And perhaps most important, “Support leaders who push for clean air and water and responsible steps on climate change,” Walke says.

How to Protect Your Health

“When you see in the newspaper or hear on the weather report that pollution levels are high, it may be useful to limit the time when children go outside or you go for a jog,” Walke says. Generally, ozone levels tend to be lower in the morning.
When you do exercise outside, stay as far as you can from heavily trafficked roads. Then shower and wash your clothes to remove fine particles.
If the air quality is bad, stay inside with windows closed.
Wear sunscreen. When ultraviolet radiation comes through the weakened ozone layer, it can cause skin damage and skin cancer.

Benefits of Learning Music

Music is one of the greatest gifts ever given to mankind. It has played an important role in the development of civilization and is an intrinsic part of all cultures. With a greater emphasis on overall personality development, we see many people opting to learn skills that are not academic in order to develop their talents. Co-curricular activities are necessary for the wholesome growth of a child as well as for the well-being of the individual at all stages of life. Learning music is one such activity that is fun and invigorating for people of all ages. This could mean being trained to sing, to play instruments or even to learn music theory like a subject in school. The number of music schools are on the rise in most of our urban cities. Many of them teach Western Music like an academic discipline with syllabus textbooks and exams. Indian classical and Carnatic music centres as well as other forms of traditional music are also taught, and one just needs to decide what to learn based on interest and talent.

Learning music has multiple benefits, particularly for students. Let us look at some.

It helps with cognition and brain development

Learning music involves utilizing multiple senses and processing information in particular ways that enhance brain functions and improves cognition. Faculties of perception and understanding are bettered through regular music lessons and practice. Researchers also say that the left side of the brain which accommodates the facilities of reasoning and understanding language also develops better if one is trained in music. They will also be better at coordination and listening.

It helps with academics

Owing to the heightened cognitive abilities that learning music provides, students of music will also be able to perform better in academics. This is because their senses are trained and their ability to understand concepts, retain them in memory and even to use language well can be positively influenced by this. This is not to say that music training makes you a genius in every way but that it improves your individual capacities and helps you become more aware of who you are and how you perform.

It nurtures discipline

Excelling at any skill requires a lot of attention, practice and discipline. This is especially true of music. It is in regular and thoughtful sessions of focused practice that one develops the skill over time. This also influences the other aspects of our life and will help with managing time and being disciplined with various other activities.

It increases self-esteem and health

Musical training lets the individual explore his own individuality and interests. In a highly competitive world, it also increases his self confidence since he knows he is capable of using his talents and skills. It creates a healthy mindset where he recognizes that he is trained well and able to use what he has learnt in real life. It is also proved to be beneficial to physical health as a healthy frame of mind will also positively affect the body.

It opens up new possibilities

Music lets us explore our own talents but also opens up new worlds which we can explore. We can become acquainted with multiple cultures and their practices, which will instill respect and appreciation in us. We will learn to appreciate diversity and the rich heritages of our own and others’ histories. One can become invested in learning instruments or musical styles of a different culture and grow in our understanding of humanity. Music itself can becomee a career for those especially talented in that arena and challenges the idea that only those who are academically strong can be successful in life.

WHAT IS BUSINESS

A business is an organization where people work together. In a business, people work to make and sell the product or services…….A business can earn a profit for the products and services it offers. The word business comes from the word busy,and means doing things.it works on regular basis this is called business.

What is a purpose of business. Business purpose is the reason you have formed your company boiled down to a single sentence.it can be industry specific or general enough to include ancillary and future business activities. To understand business purpose .

Understanding a business generally,A business begins with a business concept .depending on the nature of the business. Extensive market research may be neccessary to determine whether turning the idea into a business is feasible and if the business can deliver value to the consumers .

Business types

Sole proprietorship owned by one person No legal and financial distinction between business and business owners.

Partnership Business financial and legal responsibility equally divided. Must be registered for IRS purpose.

Limited partnership ideal for those interested in raising capital from investors who are not achieve in day to day duties .

Corporation independent, multiple shareholders appropriate for established businesses with employees .

LLC blend of partnership and corporation . No personal property at risk. Less regulation.

Non profit earning pay expenses of company . Can applyFor tax exempt status .

Co-OP members use it services.

Business is the activity of making one’s living or making money by producing .such as goods and services .simply put , it is “any activity or enterprise entered into for profit.it does not mean it is a company,a corporation, partnership, or have any such formal organization ,but it can range for a street peddler to general motors .

Having a business name does not separate the business entity from the owner, which means that the owner of the business is responsible and liable for debts incurred by the business. If the business acquires debts,the creditors can go after the owner’s personal possessions. A business structure does not allow for corporate tax rates. The proprietor is personally taxed on all income from the business.

The term is often used colloquially to refer to a company. A company ,on the other hand,is a separate legal entity and provides for liability, as well as corporate tax rates. A company structure is more complicated and expensive to set up,but offers more protection and benefits to the owner.

Re-imagine, Re-invent, Re-boot – B-Schools in the post Corona world

Management education is one of the most sought after disciplines and the students making the cut are exposed to a range of diverse opportunities within and outside the country across sectors. However, in the post-corona era, we will all need to reinvent ourselves and the way we work.

The B-Schools are no exception. Even they would need to re-align themselves to the ‘New Normal” since they cannot be teaching old rules of the old game. The game has changed and so have the rules.

I keep telling trainees who we hired in the last couple of years from various B-Schools that now is the golden era to experience the unprecedented in their professional lives. Those who will weather this will have mastered skills that no book could ever teach, and such an experience would definitely enrich one’s CV. Having said that, students who are currently undergoing their Bachelors or Masters in Management will need to be equipped with skills to deal with the ‘new normal ’to be successful.

Here are some aspects that can further boost both confidence and performance of every B-School grad. This is not to say that B-Schools aren’t already doing all of this and more. However, these are skills that most companies would look for in graduates from B-Schools, to face the new future.

Study the Case Study

Ensuring that students get exposure to relevant real life case studies so that they can understand the real life challenges and issues that could crop up on projects and watch out for potential pitfalls. Take for example the impact of the current pandemic. Scoping out the right case studies is literally learning from others’ mistakes. Practical learning like this where industry leaders engage with students and walk them through their own professional journey and their learnings from each crisis/challenge they faced is invaluable. Applied research, classroom discussions, case studies, role-plays, special sessions, management games, trainings, industrial visits, etc. all contribute immensely to the learning and development of a student. With the blend of technology, real time data and complex problems solving can become part of course design.

It is also suggested that B-Schools create a programme that enables their faculty members to shadow practitioners in their field of research and teaching. This will increase collaborations and enable faculty members to curate unique experiences and applied learning. Having industry leaders frequently participate and augment classroom learning is something that cannot be ever found in books.

Development of soft skills

Often times B-schools students are great at their jobs, they are sharp and smart, but their EQ, or Emotional Quotient, is not honed. EQ can be that differentiator between a good leader and a brilliant leader, and B-Schools would be adding a huge skill by building the emotional quotient of students, teaching them resilience, and inculcating in them the challenger mindset that gives them the confidence to move beyond their comfort zone and think out of the box to tackle real business challenges. There is also an increasing demand for young leaders to be involved in sustainability, environmental, CSR, and ethical initiatives in an organization as they are expected to walk the talk and do their bit to change the world for the better. Therefore, business programs must take part onus of creating leaders who are ethical along with being environment and community conscious. Today’s new normal requires leaders to keep teams motivated even while working remotely and being forced to stay within the confines of their homes.

Incorporate blended learning

Today is the day of the digital natives, and the students of today have grown up with technology that is readily available and affordable. All management programs need to offer a well curated mix of in-class and virtual classroom education that aids optimum learning as well as convenience and flexibility. This not only enables students to learn better, it also empowers them with the savviness needed to use innovative technology to their advantage in the real world. Therefore B-Schools must adopt a new approach towards design of their classroom, teaching materials, technology platforms, and of course the course itself!

Connecting the Dots

Fresh recruits at any organization, especially from B-Schools, are expected to have the ability to get the big picture vision and ensure that all they do dovetails into driving results therein. Practical project work, inter disciplinary exposure and design thinking in B-Schools enable students to find solutions that work, if the regular is not working, they need to be able to think from a different perspective to arrive at the results desired. They need to relate and connect the external with the internal, the industry and competition vis-à-vis their own organization and make their plans while keeping each aspect in mind for the best results. The need to be able to think lateral, circular, external, and internal to really keep focused on the bigger vision.

To put it succinctly the idea is to develop the ability of “Conceptualization to Execution” – or the capability to think end-to-end.

Project Management Skills

In their hurry to impress and off-load all they have learnt, at times freshers forget that if they want to be true leaders, project management is the first test they need to clear. To be a great project manager skills that play a critical role include time and team management, attention to detail, creation and adherence to timelines, the ability to stay calm and implement strategic change, and cost management, among others, and these are skills that can make or break B-Schools’ reputations as each of their students is an ambassador for them.

Increased emphasis on Experiential Learning

The experiential learnings inside the classroom will become more of threshold requirement going forward. The differential learning will come through a faculty guided projects with organizations for students to learn in the real time environment. This will provide then with the foundation of new skills required for a successful leader of future.

Looking Ahead

Whoever said that you can’t really move forward if you are always looking in the rear view mirror was absolutely right. One hears about really bright students suddenly falling prey to low esteem and losing confidence. Most times it is because they are wallowing in past failures and not been able to bounce back. It’s critical that students learn the art and science of letting go of what has not worked and focus on what has worked and embrace failures as stepping stones to learning and moving forward. This will help them embrace ambiguity, build agility, resilience and a willingness to make change as the situation demands.

B-Schools today need to realize the responsibility they shoulder – that of shaping future leaders. It is imperative that these leaders are equipped with global technical, digital, and emotional skills for them to lead and grow the economy. Ethics play a huge role in how businesses are done today and I can’t emphasize enough when I say that ethical behavior needs to be a huge focus of education. The sooner all of this gets implemented the sooner we will have new batches of Leaders who can walk the talk.

Depression?

The term ‘depression’ is not just extreme sadness due to a situation. Its more than that. Depression is just like a cancer it kills you every day from inside till it takes your life completely.

People still do not get what is actual depression. They often misuse the depression word and relate it with some kind of temporary sadness or pain.

A lot of people need to understand the sensitivity of the situation that depression is much more than sadness. It is not a temporary pain that will go away instantly but also not a lifetime pain. Depression is different to each and every people dealing with it.

Depression is real. It cannot be compared with the sadness you feel for some time. I have seen many people who don’t understand the real meaning of depression and any small pain or small thing that hurts them they give it a name called ‘depression.’ If anything happens its depression. No, its not.

So what is Depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It affects your mental health, your daily activities, your relations with others, your work, and most important yourself. Depression makes you lose interest in everything and sometimes you may even feel as if life isn’t worth living.

Everyone talks about the symptoms, causes, treatments, for the depression but no one talks about the pain that depressed person actually feel or go through.

Its true that there is help and we can get help from our friends, our parents, psychiatrists, doing yoga,etc.

Depression makes you feel lost in the world where you just exist but start losing hopes and a way to live your life to the full extent. It lives inside you. You take your depression for several years with you. Its like we never heal from the depression and as soon as you receive a new pain , it adds to your lists of pains which you were trying to heal from.

The sadness, the pain, the void, its just there. The pain is real. It makes you feeling unwanted, unworthy all the time. Sometimes you can’t even explain to anyone or yourself about the pain you actually feel inside you. The day you let go of all the pain that day you will be a free soul.

But, honestly its very easy to say that or to make someone explain but the person going through with the depression only knows his or her pain. No one can understand their pain what they go through.

All I want to say is some people choose to get out of depression, they try but still maybe they are more comfortable now in that pain. They love that pain and no matter what it remains with them for a very long time. I do not say that its okay to be depressed. No, not at all. But, healing takes time.

We can’t heal in a one day. Talking to our loved ones will help us but some people choose to not let their hearts out.They feel that no one can understand what they feel. And yes, it is the truth. People really do not try to understand the feeling that the other person is going through. Some show them concern, some joke about it.

Depression is not a joke. It can happen to anyone at any time for any reason.

What should we do?

– Just try to understand the people who are depressed, support them as much as you can and sooner or later they would start living their life once again.

-Depression is real and it can be healed. Give some time.

-If you want to help depressed persons, first help your close ones who are actually dealing with it.

– Be there for them when they really need it.

– Listen more. Sometimes, they just need a shoulder to cry.

– Encourage them.

Some choose to seek help from psychiatrists. Some ain’t that comfortable to seek help from them. They find it more easier to share their pain with their closed ones. Some prefer to deal with it all alone.

Still depression or mental health for that matter is known as a taboo in our country. People do hesitate to talk about it openly. It is not a disorder or disease.

We can’t change everyone’s mindset but yes we can create a change for someone close to us who is depressed by offering help to them. Start by helping your near and dear ones or any person where you feel you can really help them.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa

Nyctophile

What do you call a person who loves darkness? The answer is ‘Nyctophile.’ Nyctophile refers to a person who loves darkness and nights.

Nyctophile word is derived from the Ancient Greek word (nukt) which is a variation of ‘núx,’ meaning ‘night,’ plus (phile) meaning “loving.”

Nyctophiles find relaxation and comfort in the darkness. It feels like a peace in the darkness. A sense of warmth in the nights where they are just with themselves and nobody else.

Nyctophiles are mesmerized by the darkness full of silence with no one in between where they don’t feel like talking to anybody. Where they feel safe and can enjoy the dark peacefully with no chaos and no people surrounded near them.

Nyctophile people feel they own this darkness. They wait for the whole day to end just to enjoy the night. Mornings are good but the peace that the darkness gives them it’s a completely different feeling which only nyctophile people experience.

Nyctophile is not kind of a disorder or a disease. It is really not. Some people love mornings, some love evenings, and some love the dark i.e the nights.

They can be their own self without having any fear of being judged. They don’t sleep at nights even if they feel drowsy, they just do not want to miss the darkness. How can they miss it? They would have to wait for an another day to end to just enjoy the darkness again.

Nyctophile doesn’t mean you have to go out to enjoy the darkness or your nights. You can enjoy it at the comfort of your home as well. Some poeple discover themselves in the dark. Everyone has a different idea of experiencing their love for the darkness.

Nyctophiles prefer to work more and dilligently in the dark instead of working in the day. They feel a comfort in the nights and tend to work woth full dedication and enjoy it. They feel that their minds are more powerful in the dark compared to the day light.

Would like to add some few words in hindi. “Raat me jo sukoon hain vo sukoon or kahan.”

Well, once you find your peace in the dark then there is no way of going back. You would love to spend more n more time every single night. You would stay up late nights just to feel that peace. After all peace is the most important thing that we all need in our life.

When lights leave, darkness gives them shelter. The person who walked so much through the dark eventually ends up loving the darkness and that is really not a problem. They just start loving the darkness so much that it makes them happy and alive. They start to feel free in the nights more than in the days.

So, being a nyctophile is an amazing feeling and you would always love it without any regrets.

Nyctophiles believe that they belong in the darkness. They accept that they love this darkness or nights more than anything. Once a nyctophile, always an nyctophile.

How to Sleep Better

Tired of tossing and turning at night? These simple tips will help you sleep better and be more energetic and productive during the day.

Basset hound asleep on masters' bed, its head supported by a billowy comforter, an ear flopped outward in each direction

How can I get a better night’s sleep?

Sleeping well directly affects your mental and physical health. Fall short and it can take a serious toll on your daytime energy, productivity, emotional balance, and even your weight. Yet many of us regularly toss and turn at night, struggling to get the sleep we need. Getting a good night’s sleep may seem like an impossible goal when you’re wide awake at 3 a.m., but you have much more control over the quality of your sleep than you probably realize. Just as the way you feel during your waking hours often hinges on how well you sleep at night, so the cure for sleep difficulties can often be found in your daily routine.

Unhealthy daytime habits and lifestyle choices can leave you tossing and turning at night and adversely affect your mood, brain and heart health, immune system, creativity, vitality, and weight. But by experimenting with the following tips, you can enjoy better sleep at night, boost your health, and improve how you think and feel during the day.

Tip 1: Keep in sync with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle

Getting in sync with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm, is one of the most important strategies for sleeping better. If you keep a regular sleep-wake schedule, you’ll feel much more refreshed and energized than if you sleep the same number of hours at different times, even if you only alter your sleep schedule by an hour or two.

Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day. This helps set your body’s internal clock and optimize the quality of your sleep. Choose a bed time when you normally feel tired, so that you don’t toss and turn. If you’re getting enough sleep, you should wake up naturally without an alarm. If you need an alarm clock, you may need an earlier bedtime.

Avoid sleeping in—even on weekends. The more your weekend/weekday sleep schedules differ, the worse the jetlag-like symptoms you’ll experience. If you need to make up for a late night, opt for a daytime nap rather than sleeping in. This allows you to pay off your sleep debt without disturbing your natural sleep-wake rhythm.

Be smart about napping. While napping is a good way to make up for lost sleep, if you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, napping can make things worse. Limit naps to 15 to 20 minutes in the early afternoon.

Fight after-dinner drowsiness. If you get sleepy way before your bedtime, get off the couch and do something mildly stimulating, such as washing the dishes, calling a friend, or getting clothes ready for the next day. If you give in to the drowsiness, you may wake up later in the night and have trouble getting back to sleep.

Tip 2: Control your exposure to light

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone controlled by light exposure that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Your brain secretes more melatonin when it’s dark—making you sleepy—and less when it’s light—making you more alert. However, many aspects of modern life can alter your body’s production of melatonin and shift your circadian rhythm.

How to influence your exposure to light

During the day:

Expose yourself to bright sunlight in the morning. The closer to the time you get up, the better. Have your coffee outside, for example, or eat breakfast by a sunny window. The light on your face will help you wake up

Spend more time outside during daylight. Take your work breaks outside in sunlight, exercise outside, or walk your dog during the day instead of at night.

Let as much natural light into your home or workspace as possible. Keep curtains and blinds open during the day, and try to move your desk closer to the window.

If necessary, use a light therapy box. This simulates sunshine and can be especially useful during short winter days.

At night:

Avoid bright screens within 1-2 hours of your bedtime. The blue light emitted by your phone, tablet, computer, or TV is especially disruptive. You can minimize the impact by using devices with smaller screens, turning the brightness down, or using light-altering software such as f.lux.

Say no to late-night television. Not only does the light from a TV suppress melatonin, but many programs are stimulating rather than relaxing. Try listening to music or audio books instead.

Don’t read with backlit devices. Tablets that are backlit are more disruptive than e-readers that don’t have their own light source.

When it’s time to sleep, make sure the room is dark. Use heavy curtains or shades to block light from windows, or try a sleep mask. Also consider covering up electronics that emit light.

Keep the lights down if you get up during the night. If you need some light to move around safely, try installing a dim nightlight in the hall or bathroom or using a small flashlight. This will make it easier for you to fall back to sleep.

Tip 3: Exercise during the day

People who exercise regularly sleep better at night and feel less sleepy during the day. Regular exercise also improves the symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea and increases the amount of time you spend in the deep, restorative stages of sleep.

The more vigorously you exercise, the more powerful the sleep benefits. But even light exercise—such as walking for just 10 minutes a day—improves sleep quality.
It can take several months of regular activity before you experience the full sleep-promoting effects. So be patient and focus on building an exercise habit that sticks.

For better sleep, time your exercise right

Exercise speeds up your metabolism, elevates body temperature, and stimulates hormones such as cortisol. This isn’t a problem if you’re exercising in the morning or afternoon, but too close to bed and it can interfere with sleep.

Try to finish moderate to vigorous workouts at least three hours before bedtime. If you’re still experiencing sleep difficulties, move your workouts even earlier. Relaxing, low-impact exercises such as yoga or gentle stretching in the evening can help promote sleep.

Tip 4: Be smart about what you eat and drink

Your daytime eating habits play a role in how well you sleep, especially in the hours before bedtime.

Limit caffeine and nicotine. You might be surprised to know that caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it! Similarly, smoking is another stimulant that can disrupt your sleep, especially if you smoke close to bedtime.

Avoid big meals at night. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed. Spicy or acidic foods can cause stomach trouble and heartburn.

Avoid alcohol before bed. While a nightcap may help you relax, it interferes with your sleep cycle once you’re out.

Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening. Drinking lots of fluids may result in frequent bathroom trips throughout the night.

Cut back on sugary foods and refined carbs. Eating lots of sugar and refined carbs such as white bread, white rice, and pasta during the day can trigger wakefulness at night and pull you out of the deep, restorative stages of sleep.

Tip 5: Wind down and clear your head

Do you often find yourself unable to get to sleep or regularly waking up night after night? Residual stress, worry, and anger from your day can make it very difficult to sleep well. Taking steps to manage your overall stress levels and learning how to curb the worry habit can make it easier to unwind at night. You can also try developing a relaxing bedtime ritual to help you prepare your mind for sleep, such as practicing a relaxation technique, taking a warm bath, or dimming the lights and listening to soft music or an audiobook.

Problems clearing you head at night can also stem from your daytime habits. The more overstimulated your brain becomes during the day, the harder it can be slow down and unwind at night. Maybe, like many of us, you’re constantly interrupting tasks during the day to check your phone, email, or social media. Then when it comes to getting to sleep at night, your brain is so accustomed to seeking fresh stimulation, it becomes difficult to unwind. Help yourself by setting aside specific times during the day for checking your phone and social media and, as much as possible, try to focus on one task at a time. You’ll be better able to calm your mind at bedtime. Closeup of young bearded man lying on sheets of bed, hands folded behind bed, looking relaxed

A deep breathing exercise to help you sleep

Breathing from your belly rather than your chest can activate the relaxation response and lower your heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels to help you drift off to sleep.

Lay down in bed and close your eyes.
Put one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
Breathe in through your nose. The hand on your stomach should rise. The hand on your chest should move very little.
Exhale through your mouth, pushing out as much air as you can while contracting your abdominal muscles. The hand on your stomach should move in as you exhale, but your other hand should move very little.
Continue to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try to inhale enough so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Count slowly as you exhale.

To follow along with a guided deep breathing exercise, click here.

A body scan exercise to help you sleep

By focusing your attention on different parts of your body, you can identify where you’re holding any stress or tension, and release it.

Lie on your back, legs uncrossed, arms relaxed at your sides, eyes closed. Focus on your breathing for about two minutes until you start to feel relaxed.
Turn your focus to the toes of your right foot. Notice any tension while continuing to also focus on your breathing. Imagine each deep breath flowing to your toes. Remain focused on this area for at least three to five seconds.
Move your focus to the sole of your right foot. Tune in to any sensations you feel in that part of your body and imagine each breath flowing from the sole of your foot. Then move your focus to your right ankle and repeat. Move to your calf, knee, thigh, hip, and then repeat the sequence for your left leg. From there, move up your torso, through your lower back and abdomen, your upper back and chest, and your shoulders. Pay close attention to any area of the body that feels tense.
After completing the body scan, relax, noting how your body feels. You should feel so relaxed you can easily fall asleep.

For a guided body scan meditation to help you wind down and clear your head at bedtime, click here.

Tip 6: Improve your sleep environment

A peaceful bedtime routine sends a powerful signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down and let go of the day’s stresses. Sometimes even small changes to your environment can make a big difference to your quality of sleep.

Keep your room dark, cool, and quiet

Keep noise down. If you can’t avoid or eliminate noise from neighbors, traffic, or other people in your household, try masking it with a fan or sound machine. Earplugs may also help.

Keep your room cool. Most people sleep best in a slightly cool room (around 65° F or 18° C) with adequate ventilation. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold can interfere with quality sleep.

Make sure your bed is comfortable. Your bed covers should leave you enough room to stretch and turn comfortably without becoming tangled. If you often wake up with a sore back or an aching neck, you may need to experiment with different levels of mattress firmness, foam toppers, and pillows that provide more or less support.

Reserve your bed for sleeping and sex. By not working, watching TV, or using your phone, tablet, or computer in bed, your brain will associate the bedroom with just sleep and sex, which makes it easier to wind down at night.

Tip 7: Learn ways to get back to sleep

It’s normal to wake briefly during the night but if you’re having trouble falling back asleep, these tips may help:

Stay out of your head. Hard as it may be, try not to stress over your inability to fall asleep again, because that stress only encourages your body to stay awake. To stay out of your head, focus on the feelings in your body or practice breathing exercises. Take a breath in, then breathe out slowly while saying or thinking the word, “Ahhh.” Take another breath and repeat.

Make relaxation your goal, not sleep. If you find it hard to fall back asleep, try a relaxation technique such as visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, or meditation, which can be done without even getting out of bed. Even though it’s not a replacement for sleep, relaxation can still help rejuvenate your body.

Do a quiet, non-stimulating activity. If you’ve been awake for more than 15 minutes, get out of bed and do a quiet, non-stimulating activity, such as reading a book. Keep the lights dim and avoid screens so as not to cue your body that it’s time to wake up.

Postpone worrying and brainstorming. If you wake during the night feeling anxious about something, make a brief note of it on paper and postpone worrying about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve. Similarly, if a great idea is keeping you awake, make a note of it on paper and fall back to sleep knowing you’ll be much more productive after a good night’s rest.

YOGA

Yoga is a group of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual practices or disciplines which was originated in ancient time in India. Yoga is one of the six Astika schools of hindu philosophical traditions. There is a broad variety of yoga schools,practices and goals in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

Yoga is a mind and body practice with a 5,000 year history in ancient indian philosophy. Various styles of yoga combine physical postures ,breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation. In more recent years , it has become popular as a form of physical exercise based upon poses that promote improved control of the mind . And body and enhance well-being .

there are several different types of yoga and many disciplines within the practice. This article explores the history,philosophy , and various branch of yoga.

there is no written record of the inventor of yoga.

Male yoga practitioners are known as yogis.and female yoga practitioners are called yoginis.both practiced both taught yoga long before any written account of yoga come into existence.

Yoga is well known for its postures and poses ,but they were not a key part of original yoga traditions in india . Fitness was not a primary goal .practitioners and followers of yogic traditions focused instead on other practices , such as expending spritual energy using breathing method and focus method .the traditional began to gain popularity in the west at the end of the 19th century.an explosion of interest in yoga postural occured in the 1920’s and 1930s.first in the india and later in the west .

Benefits of yoga

increase flexibility increased muscle strength and tone. Improved energy. Maintaining a balanced metabolism . Weight reduction. Cardio and circulatory health. Improved athletic performance protection from injury.

Disadvantages of yoga

injury risks osteoporosis hot yoga disadvantages overdoing yoga poses untrained instructors

However, as a general rule of thumb, a healthy practice for vinyasa yoga is usually around 3to 5times a week. This gives you adequate time for rest. Rest is crucial to recover, get stronger and maintain your health.

the negatives of yoga are.the most common yoga injury included ;neck ,back,knee,and and shoulder injuries. This includes torm injuries muscles .herniate disks and carpal tunnel. Poses like chaturanga ,an upward push up with bent elbows, can cause extensive damage to wrists , elbow and shoulders.

regularly yoga practice creates mental clarity and calmness ,increasing body awareness,relieves the mind.

Yoga poses streach your muscles and increases your range of motion……..and even through yoga is not aerobic , some research find it can be just as good as aerobic exercise for improving health.

Importance of Festivals

It is hard to imagine a world where society doesn’t celebrate any festivals. Just try to imagine a world without Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, Id, Holi. Their are so many festivals that are celebrated that it would be practically impossible to recall all of them.

Celebrating these festivals is not just important in order to remember our culture but also to gather around the entire community and talk, and eat, and laugh. In order for the Society to properly exist in the world, festivals act like those pillars that balance our it. Kids get an opportunity to experience their culture and history. Our grandparents and other older citizens get to remind the next generation about the significance of celebrating these festivals. The entire family gathers around and catches up on their lost time. They share all the successes, all the stories and reconnect with their family. Apart from that, other people, people who are not related to us by blood, become our friends and we end up forming our own little traditions.

For example, a young girl and her grandma may form a tradition of making sweets together. Or a parent taking help from their children to decorate the house. Yes, they become busier during festivals because of all the preparation. But the process of preparation of these festivals is in itself another festival. This way, people make memories that they become fond of.

I for one cannot imagine a world without festivals. They are an expressive way to celebrate our glorious heritage, culture and traditions. They bring joy to children. The thing is that we are dependent on social heritage, which is a mixture of customs, traditions, moral values, beliefs and ideals. It not only 8makes us who we are but binds us to pass it on from one generation to another.

Festivals promote diversity, they bring neighbors into dialogue, they increase creativity, and they offer opportunities for civic pride.

The world is chaotic. Everyone is rushing to get to places. Everyone is pushing their own limits in order to feed their family. Children are stressed out because of pressure from school and the fear of disappointing their well wishers. Employees over work themselves into a cardiac arrest and other health hazards and overall, we don’t get time to enjoy the natural beauty and small things that actually matter in our lives.

By celebrating festivals, we not only get to catch up with everything other than work and studies, but we also get to enjoy the company of our loved ones. In my opinion, each day SHOULD BE celebrated as a festival. It will not only make our live non-monotonous but it will also bring the people around us a little bit closer.

Tech Mahindra campus sealed after 7 COVID-19 cases in a week as Odisha tally crosses 10,000

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday sealed the Tech Mahindra campus in the city after the detection of multiple COVID-19 cases. The campus has been sealed for 72 hours till Thursday for sanitisation.
BMC North zonal deputy commissioner Pramod Kumar Prusty said the campus was sealed after seven cases were detected in the last one week.
“The first case from the campus was reported on June 29 and the individual had a travel history outside Odisha,” he said.
The ZDC said that 65 employees of the IT firm have been home quarantined and will undergo COVID-19 tests if they develop any symptoms.He said contact tracing is also in progress to isolate others who have come in contact with these seven persons.
Of the 37 cases reported in Khurda in the last 24 hours, around 26 are from Bhubaneswar, sources said.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 tally in Odisha crossed the 10,000 mark on Tuesday after the state reported its biggest single day spike of 572 cases along with six deaths.
The cases were reported from 21 districts with Ganjam remaining at the top with 273 cases. Gajapati and Sundargarh districts also reported 56 and 51 cases respectively.
Health and Family Welfare department officials said three men in the age group of 48 to 70 years from Ganjam and a 48-year-old man from Cuttack, infected with the virus, died while undergoing treatment at different hospitals.
They, however, said that the other two persons, an 80-year-old man from Cuttack and 45-year-old man from Mayurbhanj, who were infected with virus, died due to cancer.
The state so far has reported 10,097 COVID-19 cases and 42 deaths. Health officials, however, claim that at least 12 COVID-19 patients have died due to other diseases.

Trade Union

Trade Union is an organisation that employees, workers and labour can join in order to protect and promote their interest. Trade Union is an organisation which helps the workers and employees to achieve their goals in areas such as pay, benefits, working condition, hours of work, etc. Trade Union acts as a link or bridge between management and workers. As all the communication that takes place between employer or management and workers is generally through union. Trade Union acts as a medium between workers and management as they help in settlement of grievances and raising the voice of workers in front of management on behalf of workers. The key function of trade unions are regulation of relations, settlement of grievances, collective bargaining and negotiation and raising new demand on behalf of workers. Trade Union is basically a voluntary association of employees and therefore individuals agree on their own to join and act together. Since we know that it is a voluntary association, so the leaders are elected by the members. Trade Union acts as an intermediary between employer and employee. It eliminates the employers’ need to consult each and every employee before taking decision affecting him. Instead the employer talk directly to trade union who represent the employees. The Trade Union, in turn, pass on the information to the employee and the decision is taken at last. It is the most important question that, Why trade union looks so attractive to employees? So for this we should know the factors that makes it so attractive to employees and they are –

Minimise Discrimination- As there are chances that a personal relationship may exist between the supervisor and his subordinate and due to this there are chances of favouritism and discrimination. So, in order to minimise favouritism and discrimination trade union compels management to frame policies that press for equality of treatment to workers.
Sense of Security- After joining a union the employee experiences a sense of security as he believes that it is an effective way to secure adequate protection from various hazards and income insecurity.
Sense of Participation- Employee experiences sense of participation only if they join trade union. After joining the Trade Union employees can participate in matters of management which affects their interest.
Sense of Belongingness- It is always seen that people follow eachother. Same goes here, many employees join a union because there co-workers are the members of the union. The members of a union feel that they are gaining respect and can also discuss their problems with the Trade Union.
Platform for Self Expression- Everybody loves expressing themselves. They want to share their feelings, ideas and opinions with others and this platform is provided by trade union to its members. Trade Union helps in providing a support to collective voice of the workers so that the management can hear this and can give due consideration while making policy decision by the management. Trade Union also helps in betterment of employee relations among management and workers by solving the problem peacefully.

Last But Not the Least

Trade Union plays an important role in workers, employees and labour’s life as it provides a sense of security, participation and belongingness which motivates them to work hard.

Boycott of Chinese products in india

The call to boycott ‘Made in China’ products comes at a time when the government is promoting a campaign to make the country self-reliant under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission.
The survey, conducted by Local Circles, received 32,000 responses from citizens spread across 235 districts.
More than 8,000 responses were received for the question “Would you boycott buying Chinese products for next year?” and an overwhelming majority of them were ready to stop buying Chinese products.
87% of the 8,000 respondents said they were ready to boycott all Chinese made goods for the next one year.

When asked if they are willing to boycott buying/using products & services of Chinese companies like Xiao, Oppo, Vivo, One Plus, Club Factory, Aliexpress, Shein, Tik Tok, WeChat etc. effective immediately, 58% of those surveyed said ‘yes, won’t buy from now’, while 39% said ‘yes, won’t buy from now but have to use what I have already purchased’.
In other words, a massive 97% (39+58) said that they will boycott buying major Chinese brands and instead focus on Indian brands.

But India is angry after bloody clash on June 15 between Indian and Chinese troops at Galwan. Across the country, there are calls to boycott Chinese products and halt bilateral trade, with people burning Chinese appliances and goods and a Union minister even wanting a ban on restaurants selling Chinese food.

Now

There is a very big question here – will boycotting of Chinese products really helps India imports items like transmission apparatus for radars, TV and cameras. Electrical transformers, microphones, headphones and loudspeakers also feature heavily on this list.2019 (34%) import

India imported nuclear reactors, boilers worth $13.87 billion during 2019, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

India imports diammonium phosphate, a crucial element in fertilizers to boost crop yield, from its neighbor. Another type of plant nutrient, urea, favored by Indian farmers, is also supplied by China. 2019(import 2%)

India depends on China for items like personal protective equipment, ventilators, N95 masks and other medical kits. With the current pandemic, these items have become even more crucial. India, however, has begun mass producing its own PPE kits and N95 masks to meet the ever growing demand of these items during the health crisis. (2019-2%) import

A lot of the components for cars being manufactured within the country also comes from China. Items like drive transmission, steering, electrical, interiors, brake systems and engine components are supplied by Chinese companies, to Indian carmakers. (2019-2%) import

Now, we can see that China’s exports to India account for only 2% of its total exports, so even if Indians boycott all the goods imported from China…

But if really India want to be aatmnirbhar: so we have to take some measures

The government must lower the rates at which loans are issued to Indian companies, just like China. Recently, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a stimulus package to address the needs of various sectors battling for survival. Now, steps should be taken to ensure these announcements are actually implemented on the ground and aren’t reduced to hollow jumlas. In addition to this, the government must provide infrastructure, services, etc. to prepare Indian companies to compete with China.

The foreign direct investment (FDI) regime also needs to be further liberalised. India receives only 25% of the FDI that China gets and only 10% of what the US receives. Increase in the levels of FDI may provide the necessary nudge to our industrial sector to surge towards better productivity and efficiency.

It would be extremely beneficial if we diversify our import basket, by importing our necessities from a host of other countries and lessening our dependence on China. All these steps, collectively, could take us closer to self-reliance.

Increasing mutual investment and encouraging Indian companies to participate in the China International Import Expo will strengthen bonds between these two economic giants. We must acknowledge that China has a strategic role to play in India’s growth.

After taking all these measures: may India can achieve the mission which has been started by our prime minister of India .87%of Indian ready to boycott Chinese products and it’s a good sign to generate employment, and development of technology in India.

In the first four decades of India’s existence, it has tried — and miserably failed — making mantras like “self-reliance”, “import-substitution” and “protecting infant domestic industries” work. But now India can achieve all its self-reliance in all over the world.

Sushant Singh Rajput’s relatives launch Nepometer app,say it’s a tribute to SSR

After Sushant Singh Rajput’s tragic demise on 14th June 2020,the debate on nepotism in Bollywood has gained momentum. People started reiterating that Bollywood does not give chance to struggling actors who are outsiders. Whereas, the star kids get all the stardom even though they may not have talent. Kangana Ranaut was bold enough to describe how nepotism was the cause of the Star’s death. This may be true indeed, because SSR himself in an interview on the ‘Raabta’ movie release event said that nepotism is everywhere. And he was so humble to say that nepotism is fine if they also give chance and recognise the outside talents. This gives us a hint of how much he had struggled to reach where he was.

In a recent development, Sushant’s brother in-law, Vishal Kirti posted on his Twitter profile about the launch of Nepometer app. The app will measure how much nepotistic a movie is. Vishal Kirti wrote that it is a ‘not for profit voluntary effort’ and they wanted people to make ‘informed choices’. “The app is a tribute to SSR”Vishal Kirti wrote in his another post. The app has been developed by Vishal kirti’s brother Mayuresh Krishna.

“We’re still grieving. Our focus now is to take care of each other. I shared my brother’s idea of Nepometer because it enables people to make informed choices. It’s a small tribute to Sushant. It’s a not for profit voluntary effort. Please stay patient since it isn’t our 1st priority,” he wrote on Twitter.

The news was announced on Twitter with the caption, “Fight Bollywood Nepotism with Information. We will provide ratings for movies based on how nepotistic or independent movie crew is. If the #nepometer is high, then it’s time to #boycottbollywoodnepotism #fightnepotism.”

Nepometer gives Alia Bhatt starrer ‘Sadak 2 ‘ movie 98% rating

Nepometer gives rating to a movie based on the fact whether it’s actor and actress and supporting crew members Viz director,producer,writer, supporting actor are star kids or anyway related to Bollywood celebrities. The greater the number of insiders or star kids in a movie,the higher rating it will get on Nepometer app. Higher rating on Nepometer dneotes that the movie is highly nepotistic.

For eg, the movie ‘Kalank’ starring Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt is likely to get a high score on Nepometer while ‘Thappad’ featuring Tapsee Pannu is likely to get a lower score.

The first movie to be rated by Nepometer on Thursday is ‘Sadak 2’ which is a sequel of ‘Sadak’. Sadak 2 is starring Alia Bhatt in the lead role. The app gave the movie a 98% rating which means it is highly nepotistic.

A tweet on the Nepometer Twitter page read, “#Sadak2 is 98% Nepotistic. We rated it based on 5 categories, Producer, Lead Artists, Supporting Artists, Director & Writer. 4 out of 5 categories have Bollywood Family members. When #nepometer is high it’s time to #boycottbollywood. Will you watch this movie? Tell us in comments.”

The idea behind developing the app is that people should avoid watching movies which are featuring star kids and go for movies featuring outsiders to encourage new talents.

Meanwhile,police is investigating on Sushant Singh Rajput’s case and so far, the police have questioned at least 28 people, including his domestic staff, family, friends and co-stars.

Home Business Ideas

These home business ideas give you a few more business options that are either based at home or online.

1. Freelancer

In the world of freelance, you can work from home and be your own boss. Use your skills to earn business in your desired field:

Writing
SEO
Transcription
Design
Illustration
Coding
Consulting

2. Social media manager

Do you have a knack for social media? As a social media manager, you can use your skills to manage the social media accounts for companies and even individual people. Influencer marketing has become more common and many influencersrely on marketing agencies or employees to help them run their social channels.

3. Data entry clerk

Many businesses seek data entry clerks to help them enter information into their computer systems and spreadsheets. If you have fantastic computer and typing skills, this might be the business for you.

4. Pet sitter

Do you have a passion for pets? Consider becoming a pet sitter. While the pet’s owners are away on vacation, either host their pet at your home or make visits to their home. Join a pet sitting service like Rover or Care.com to get started.

5. Vacation host

Have you ever used a home sharing service instead of a hotel? You could make a living by hosting visitors in your own home or renting out a room. Consider becoming a host with companies like Airbnb, Vrbo, or Homestay.

How to Start a Small Business at Home

Identify your small business idea.
Start as a side business or hobby.
Create a business plan.
Decide whether you’ll be an LLC or sole proprietorship.
Create a business bank account.
Decide on your software.
Determine if your business idea works well from home.
Set up an office.
Get to work!

1. Identify your small business idea.

Whether you choose an option from the list above or have another idea up your sleeve, it’s important to have the experience, training, or skills necessary to be successful. Want to run a daycare but have never even visited a successful daycare center? Spend time conducting research to learn whether this is really the right fit for your experience and interests.

2. Start as a side business or hobby.

Can you get your business off the ground as an evenings or weekends side job? This allows you to make some mistakes, test the market, and understand whether your idea has legs before you quit your nine-to-five job and lose your primary income.

3. Create a business plan.

Once you know your idea has the potential to succeed, it’s time to build a business plan. Not sure where to start? Try this business plan template.

Your business plan should include the following elements:

Executive summary — A high-level overview of your company and market placement.
Business model — Outline what your business does, who your business serves, and how your business is structured. You should include a description of what products and services you offer, and how they meet the needs of your customers.
Market condition — A summary of pertinent competitor information. Determine the strengths and weaknesses of your closest competitors.
Products and services — Use this section to describe your products and services in detail, and outline what differentiates your product from others in the market.
Operations and management — Outline your business’ organization structure, key roles, and responsibilities.
Marketing and sales strategy — This section should describe how you will market and sell your product. Include information on your ideal customer, how you plan to position your offering, and your sales strategy.
Financial plan — Create a detailed outline of your business financials. Include your start-up costs, your initial financial productions, and how you anticipate generating funding.
Appendix — Once the above pieces are complete, end the document with an appendix summarizing your business plan.

Business plans should identify what makes your offering different from competitors. They should also be short and actionable. And your business plan should evolve with your business.

4. Decide whether you’ll be an LLC or sole proprietorship.

Two common legal structures for small businesses are limited liability corporations (LLCs) and sole proprietorships.

An LLC is a more complex business structure than a sole proprietorship, and can include individuals, corporations, and other LLCs as members. Additionally, LLCs are not subject to a separate level of tax and offer the business owner liability protection and tax advantages. LLCs are formed on a state-by-state basis.

Sole proprietorships are businesses owned and operated by one person, and are not identified as a separate entity from the owner by the government. While a sole proprietorship is the simplest business structure, sole proprietors are personally liable for their business.

Learn more about choosing the right structure for your business from the Small Business Administration.

5. Create a business bank account.

Once you have a legally formed business and have been issued an Employer Identification Number (EIN), open a bank account specifically for your business. Having a business bank account is essential for keeping your personal and business finances separate which can help you gain an accurate picture of your business’ cash flow and financial health. Additionally, keeping your personal and business finances separate makes bookkeeping and tax preparation easier.

Many banks offer business checking and savings accounts. Business checking accounts typically do not have a limit on the number of transactions that can take place, and issue a debit card that can be used for making business purchases. However, these checking accounts do not accrue interests.

Business savings accounts typically earn interest over time, but have a limited number of transactions that can occur each month. When you’re just starting out, look for a business bank account that does not have a minimum balance requirement so you are not penalized for having low funds as you work to build your business.

6. Decide on your software.

You’ve got a lot of things on your plate when first starting up. But one step that’s critical (and often forgotten by first-time entrepreneurs) is deciding on the software that can help you be more efficient as your business grows.

Every business is different — but almost all companies can use software to help with analytics, project management, accounting, bookkeeping, email marketing, and other basic day-to-day tasks.

One of the most important software tools every business should utilize is a free CRM to keep track of important customer information in one central database. It will help align your team and make sure you stay organized as your business grows.

7. Determine if your business idea works well from home.

Ask yourself whether your business idea will work well from home. Some businesses simply aren’t suited to being based from home. If you want to run a dog boarding center but live in an apartment without a backyard, you might want to consider a dog walking business instead.

8. Set up an office.

If your business idea is well-suited for being run from home, it’s still important you have a designated work space. While a home office might not be possible, consider setting aside a corner in your living room or putting a desk in your bedroom for a space that inspires you and creates the conditions for success.

Need a more professional space? If you conduct client-facing work requiring you to be on video calls, no one wants to see your rumpled sheets in the background. Check out local coworking spaces for memberships that earn you access to conference rooms, desk space, and more.

9. Get to work!

You’ve put in the hard work and I’ve got good news … it’s only going to get harder. But most entrepreneurs will agree the payoff of being your own boss, making your own hours, and working on projects you’re passionate about will pay dividends for the rest of your life.

Selecting a small business idea is a personal decision. But it can be helpful to bounce ideas off your friends and family. Don’t be afraid to ask for help throughout this process — and remember to have a little fun while you’re putting in the work.

Ready to begin building your small business today? Check out our complete guide for how to start a business. Or brush up on your reading with this high-impact list of books about starting a business you can’t afford not to read.

Importance of Mental Health during Pandemic Times

Mental Health is a topic much discussed in the current times owing to its increasing importance in the world. Since it was not considered as important as our physical health, mental health disorders, illnesses and issues had been ignored and pushed under the rug for many years. However, with depression and suicide becoming the greatest threat to human life in this modern world, addressing mental health with understanding and seeking solutions are extremely important. Emotional and mental well-being is necessary for an individual to function as he ought in society, complete his tasks and maintain his space in the world.

Modernity has brought with it a number of problems all of which have contributed in their own way to a crisis of mental health. Long hours at the office, increased stress levels, financial crisis, managing work life and home life are all significant factors that affect our mental health. Among students, demanding coursework, fear of the future, a crashing job market, worry about not performing well and peer pressure can all lead to a situation where one is not able to think and behave as one ought.

Right now, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a spike in the number of mental health issues coming up. There is fear of the virus, worry about what happens next, and many don’t see how they can survive. 1 in 5 college students say that they are experiencing heightened mental health issues during this pandemic. This will become a pandemic by itself and the countries of the world are already realizing this.

A major issue that we in India is what the World Health Organization considers the mental health gap. It refers to the gap between number of those with the need and the number of providers available. There are not enough responders who can adequately deal with the issues and the number of people who are in need of help.

Another major issue with addressing mental health concerns in India is the stigma associated with it. Many are told to ‘just get over it’ or asked to ‘forget about it’. The honour-shame culture in India lends itself to this. It is considered shameful to approach someone for help or to say that I am struggling mentally. It is not a choice to go into depression. There is rejection and discrimination against people who suffer from severe anxiety or other issues and they are not given the care they need. We need to understand that mental health is as important as physical health and that it needs to be dealt with as seriously.

If you or anyone you know seem to be struggling mentally, never hesitate to reach out for help. It is important that we ourselves do not try to treat anyone or counsel them if we are not qualified. Never wait for your mental health to deteriorate immensely before you start seeking help. Self medication and deluding oneself into thinking that they can conquer this on their own should also not be encouraged. If we see someone struggling with mental health, learn how to move towards them and assure them they are not alone. Don’t moralize them but listen to them and walk with them in their journey. You can do much by taking people seriously when they talk to you about their struggles and by being there for them.

Industrial health and safety

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Indian spices have amazing healing powers

The spices we use everyday in our kitchen while cooking are the same spices which had impressed the Britishers with their flavour and unique aroma they gave to the food as well as the amazing healing properties they had. It is not an exaggeration to say that spices were one of the reasons that Britishers started to colonize parts of India.

Even today, spices contribute a very essential part of a healthy Indian meal. But spices do not just add flavour to your food. They have health benefits too capable of healing the body in and out. Sometimes it’s better to turn to natural remedies to cure minor ailments. Ayurveda has solely been using plants and herbs since ages to cure all kinds of ailments. But our generation isn’t as patient as our ancestors were and we prefer pills that give instant relief over natural remedies. It’s time to go back to our roots and make use of some magical spices that have amazing healing properties and that provide relief in a healthier way.

Here, some of the spices that have amazing health benefits:

1. Cloves

Cloves are one of the most widely used whole spices in our day to day cooking. But we tend to underestimate them in terms of their medicinal properties. Apart from adding a distinct aroma and flavor to our food, cloves are a rich source of manganese and also have strong anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Clove oil is rich in Eugenol, a component that fights infections and also helps in suppressing pain. Simply dab some clove oil over an infected tooth and gums to help ease the pain and also cure infection. Including cloves in our daily diet can also boost immunity, improve digestion and help fight cold and cough.

2. Turmeric

The spice that is used in every Indian household- turmeric is not only renowned for its pungent flavor but also for its extremely useful medicinal properties. It has been used in Indian and Chinese medicine for many years. Turmeric is rich in curcumin – a compound that is a powerful anti-inflammatory and a very strong antioxidant. Turmeric may help relieve arthritis-related symptoms as curcumin present in turmeric blocks all the enzymes causing pain and inflammation in the body. Curcumin also plays a vital role in fighting against auto-immune induced diseases and helps delay the ageing of cells.

3. Black Pepper

Black pepper or kali mirch is also known as the “king of spices”. But little do we know that our favorite seasoning black pepper also performs many other beneficial tasks in our body than just pleasing our taste buds. Black pepper is rich in micro-nutrients such as magnesium, vitamin K, iron and vitamin C. Due to its high vitamin C content, black pepper is a very effective antibiotic. Its antibiotic properties work wonders against tonsillitis. Mix some lemon juice, salt and black pepper powder in a glass of warm water and drink it to get instant relief from throat pain. Black pepper is also high in piperine. Piperine helps in better bowel movements and also helps prevent digestive and excretory system infections.

5. Cinnamon

The distinct sweetness and warm taste aren’t the only things that cinnamon offers. The true magic lies in bark of the cinnamon tree which provides innumerable health benefits. According to various scientific studies, cinnamon has the highest antioxidant content amongst all other spices. Antioxidants help protect body against radical damage and prevents ageing. Cinnamon also helps lower blood sugar levels and bad cholesterol levels in the body. Cinnamaldehyde – the main ingredient in cinnamon has strong anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Cinnamon oil has anti microbial properties also helps prevent tooth decay and reduces bad breath.

6. Ajwain
The bitter and pungent ajwain seeds used in every Indian household are a miraculous remedy for several common ailments. Ajwain seeds are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants Take a little ajwain mixed with some salt and swallow it with some warm water to get instant relief from a stomach ache. Ajwain is very effective in treating gas, flatulence and acidity when taken after meals with warm water and salt. One of the other amazing health benefits that this spice offers is treating common cold. Thymol, an ingredient present in Ajwain, gives it antimicrobial properties hence, making it effective against cold and congestion. To reap maximum benefits, inhale the steam of ajwain infused in hot water, it will ease congestion and provide relief.

7. Asafoetida

The pungent spice asafoetida, also known as hing in India, is actually native to Afghanistan. Hing is one of the chief ingredients used in tadka or tempering to flavor the Indian dishes, especially like dal.
This strong spice provides numerous health benefits from improving digestion to preventing and treating acne and making your skin glow. Not only this, asafoetida has also proven to restrict the growth of harmful viruses in the body. Hing is also a very effective remedy for dry or whooping cough or even for bronchitis. Prepare a paste by grinding asafoetida in water. Apply this on your chest to get relief from any kind of cough.

SAY ‘NO’ TO PUBG ADDICTION

We all are aware about the incident where an Indian teenager spents his father’s 16 lakhs of money on the PUBG online game. This was not the first time something like this happened.

The PUBG online game which is very popular among the youths has been trending since two to three years. Player Unknown’s Battle Grounds (PUBG) is an online multiplayer battle royale game which is designed in such a way that it can be played as a lone wolf or with your teammates.

PUBG mobile game was released in the year 2017. Since then, more than 100 million users have downloaded it. Currenty, Its the 2^nd top grossing royale mobile game.

Well, every thing has two sides of the story. Yes, PUBG is the leading game right now and due to the pandemic lockdown it also has increased more users and people now are spending more time than they usually used to do earlier as they have no work right now. They are completely free. Its an amazing game which has amazing features and also you can pass your time. So when someone gets bored, they do think of playing PUBG either with their friends or solo.

Online gaming has been a part of our lives right now since we all are addicted to our smartphones. So, we can’t deny the fact that we haven’t installed and played any online games on our smartphone.

But like I said above, everything around us has two sides of the story . The same way the online ‘PUBG’ game has its own cons and discons. Althought, its a good game for relaxing people making them stress free for a while, some play just to pass the time, some play everyday as a routine. Everyone has different reasons to play.

But, here I am talking about the ones who just not take this game as a game or as a way to pass the time. These people get so addicted towards this game that they forget that there is a life beyond this game. They take this game as a serious matter and take drastic steps which leads to mishappenings thus causing pain to them and their close ones.

Every now and then we hear cases related to PUBG. Be it suicide cases or stealing money and using them just to buy Royale Passes. We need to make understand these youths that the online game is just a part of your life and it cannot be your whole life.

The youth needs to understand that there is a life beyond PUBG. I am not saying that such people shouldn’t play online games but we have to stop them by getting obsessed over these game apps.

What we can do to stop this:

If you see your child or your friend is getting addicted towards this game, make him or her understand at the initial stage itself.

Parents should try to talk with their children in a way that they understand that what is correct and what is not. They should be spending more time with their child so that they feel loved and be responsible and not take any drastic steps.

If not parents, then someone elder or someone close to that person should talk to the child.

Make them understand that its just a game and don’t try spending your money on the game. Instead spend it for something worth.

Online games can be addictive but we need to stop our children before anything bad happens. Addiction is harmful. No addiction can give you happiness.

I know it can be difficult to make them understand but atleast people close to such addicts can try talking to them so that they do not get involved in such happenings.

Youth needs to understand this playing is different and getting addicted is different.

Nothing is impossible if we try. The word ‘Impossible’ itself says ‘ I AM POSSIBLE.’

Secularism Vs Religion in politics

Secularism implies equal respect for all religions in the same measure as we have our own. In our country,the liberty of ” belief,faith and worship”, as enshrined in the Constitution, has been implemented by incorporating the fundamental Rights of all citizens to ” Freedom of Religion” in Articles 25-29.

India is a land of multi- religious,multi ethnic and multi lingual people with a plethora of castes and subcastes. All the major religions in the country, viz, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism tech their followers to imbibe faith in God an dlove for human beings.Yet our people have developed peculiar attitude to their own religion. Today, religion,the opiate of the masses,disintegrates people through communal violence the behest of political parties and their unscrupulous leaders।Religion is an ally of politics is fraught with danger.

The constitutuon of India uphold the unity of all religions ,based on their moral precepts of building unity in diversity. This shows that India as a secular state is neither religious nor anti religious ; it is completely detached from all religious dogmas.

The british created a rift between Hindus and Muslims that led to the partition of the sub- continent in 1947. The rift has widened since then.Today, Ram Jamnabhoomi- Babri Kashif issue,1993 Mumbai riots, recent riots in UP are there to spark off communal violence.Such tendnecies are drifting away people from the idea of secularism.

There is growing feeling in the country that the functioning of secularism has suffered some setbacks. Recently,this has led many individuals from the film fraternity, literary field and other arts to return their Government awards, this show their dissent at the growing intolerance in thecountry.The unchecked growth of fundamentalism is posing a serious threat to the secular character of our polity. Our political parties aid and abet communalism.They do not allow secularism to take precedence over their political interests. There are several ways through which secularism is being diluted. Performance of religious rites and rituals at official functions ,misuse of media including official media for propagation of anti secular material are undermining the foundation of a secular polity.

Secularism is the need of the hour for uplifting the nation from the abyss of religious myths and beliefs , and waging a united war of all the people against the cancer of communalism and other social evils hindering our country’s progress. Even though the task appears daunting,the present generation must strive for moulding the mass opinion and evolving a truly secular and democratic India.

What Makes A Great Leader

When we read the term, ‘great leader’, we immediately picture leaders like Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, and many more. We always get inspired by their life journeys and often follow their virtues of life. But very few of us wonder, what made them a ‘great leader’? We may find it a mystery. However, there are a few things which are common among them.

They are aware. They are aware of their capabilities. They are aware of their flaws and they are always willing to work on them. They do not blame their flaws for their failure. Instead, they work harder to convert these

Powerful leaders listen. When working in a team, they keep their ears and eyes open for novel ideas. For them, no idea is silly. They give importance to every ones’ opinion. They are always the last one to speak. By doing this, they make sure that every person gets the opportunity to speak.

Another identical feature is that they radiate positive energy. This means, their aura is so powerful that once they start speaking, no one ignores them.

They seem approachable. Even when Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, opened its dozens of stores, he was so approachable that he used to talk to almost every employee in his office. Maybe, because of this quality, he became even more successful!

One more similarity is that a great leader can convert a hundred negatives, into one positive. One of the best examples is Adolf Hitler. He was, at one point covered by his enemies from all four sides. When his subordinate informed him about this ‘problem’, he said, “Excellent! Now we can attack in any direction.” This is the difference between a follower and a leader. Leaders, convert the ‘problems’ into ‘opportunities’.

They have the ability to take responsibility. Leaders not only have good decision-making skills, but they also take responsibility for these decisions’ consequences. They have the courage to accept their mistakes.

They don’t dwell in the past or daydream about their future. They work in the present. Their focal point is on problem-solving instead of worrying about not being efficient enough. The term ‘What if’ does not even surface their mind.

They may not wear branded clothes or accessories, but they are so self-confident that they naturally attract everyone.

When we mention a powerful leader’s name it is taken for granted that they are also an effective communicator. They have the expertise to communicate on all levels; starting from a one on one interview to mass public speaking.

They encourage originality and are fearless enough to take the risks. The excitement of learning something new conquers the fictional fear of failure.

Dwight Eisenhower truly said, “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a football field, in an army, or in an office.”

Quality of being honest, upright, and having strong moral principles is not something that is common these days. But people who did attain this quality, we, today, refer to them as great leaders.

Our history remembers such powerful leaders not because of who they were or where they came from, but because of what they did for the common good of people.

Career Planning and Its Importance in HR

” A career is a job you love, right? That’s what a career should be. If you’re in a job that you hate, you should quit. That’s the way I look at it. I’m in a job that I love, so I’m going to make it my career.”

By Cameron Sinclair

A career can be described as a sequence of jobs that a person experiences overtime. A career is basically composed of the jobs held, work done and titled earned over a period of time. It comprises of a series of work related activities, that provides continuity, order and meaning to a person’s life. Career is something which don’t make you feel that life has become monotonous but it is something which gives you self satisfaction and it is the work which you really enjoy and while doing that you don’t feel burdensome. As it is rightly said by Confucius – “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Career Planning may be defined as a process by which career goals and individual capabilities can be matched with the opportunities. It is a planning done by a person in order to have a strong career path. It is a continuous, lifelong and a systematic process by which one selects career goals and path to these goals. It is not an event but a process of developing human resource so that they can achieve desired goals. In simple terms, it is an individual’s choice of career and occupation which he or she loves to do. It is very important to know that individual and organisational goals are not different from each other rather they are interdependent on eachother. This we can understand from the following lines that when a person is not able to convert his career plan into action while staying in the particular organisation he or she may probably think of quitting the job and joining the other organisation if he has a choice. So, for avoiding this type of situation, organisation should help their employees in career planning so that they both can satisfy each other’s goals and by this way the organisation can retain its employees, the employee will become more loyal to the organisation, the organisation will able to reduce labour turnover. Apart from these, Career Planning also has many importance too and they are –

Career Planning helps an employee to know the career opportunities available in the organisation.
Once an individual is clear about his career path, he can be more focused and can make efforts for self development.
It helps in increasing productivity.
It provides needed direction which will help you further to achieve your goals.
Career Planning helps in assured availability of talent and it also helps in attracting and retaining talent.
Career Planning helps in promoting organisational image as employees are one of the best media to project the image.
Career Planning helps in development and growth in employees and it also helps in reducing labour turnover.
Through this the employee become more loyal to the organisation and it further increases their morale and motivates them to work hard.
Career Planning helps in satisfying employees needs and it shows employee’s potential.

Last But Not the Least

Even though career planning takes a lot of time, effort and work but there is nothing more rewarding than this as it is something which you enjoy.

EDUCATION

Education is the most important for everyone . I think now a days without education people are nothing

Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, value, beliefs and habits.

Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators ,however learners can also educate themselves.

Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to word but by experience in environments.

We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being.

I believe that education is all about being excited about something .

Seeing passion and enthusiasm help push an educational message.

Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world .

Education gives us knowledge of the world around us and changes in into something better.it develops in us a perspective of looking at life.it helps us build opinions and have points of view on things in life .people debate over the subject matter of whether education is the only thing that gives knowledge.

Education is about learning skills and knowledge . It also means helping people to learn how to do things and support them to think about what they learn……through education, the knowledge of society, country ,and of the world is passed on from generation to generation.

Main purpose of education is to educate individuals within society, to prepare and quantify them for work in economy as well as to integrate people into society and teach them value and morals of society.

Role of education us means of socializing individuals and to keep society smoothing and remain stable.

True education is simply the process of developing the ability to learn ,apply,unlearn,relearn,learning.

Training and practice are major components of developing expertise in whatever human beings do.

In early age people thought education only for boys not for girls .they send school only their Male child .

Because they thought girls do only home work education is not neccessary for girls .

but now time has changed now people give education their both child .they don’t do difference their child .no matter that’s a girl or that’s a boy.

Types of education. Education goes beyond what takes places within four walls of the classroom. A child get the education from his experiences outside the school as well as from those within on the basis of these factors.

There are 3 main types of education, namely,formal ,informal ,and non formal.

Education is a gradual process which brings positive changes in human life and behavior. We can also say education as “a process of acquiring knowledge through study or impating the knowledge by way of instructions or some other practical procedure”.

education is the main thing that encourages us to distinguish between right and wrong because in the absence of education, we can’t do what we need or can’t achieve our goal.

What Is Yoga?

Yoga is a mind and body practice with a 5,000-year history in ancient Indian philosophy. Various styles of yoga combine physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation or relaxation.

In more recent years, it has become popular as a form of physical exercise based upon poses that promote improved control of the mind and body and enhance well-being.

There are several different types of yoga and many disciplines within the practice. This article explores the history, philosophy, and various branches of yoga.

What is yoga?

In the modern world, the South Asian art of yoga has expanded to all corners of the globe. While it is now a popular form of exercise and meditation, this has not always been the case.

History

There is no written record of the inventor of yoga.

Male yoga practitioners are known as yogis, and female yoga practitioners are called yoginis. Both practiced and taught yoga long before any written account of yoga came into existence.

Over the next five millennia, yogis passed the discipline down to their students, and many different schools of yoga developed as the practice expanded its global reach and popularity.

The “Yoga Sutra,” a 2,000-year-old treatise on yogic philosophy by the Indian sage Patanjali, is a guidebook on how to master the mind, control the emotions, and grow spiritually. The Yoga Sutra is the earliest written record of yoga and one of the oldest texts in existence and provides the framework for all modern yoga.

Yoga is well known for its postures and poses, but they were not a key part of original yoga traditions in India. Fitness was not a primary goal. Practitioners and followers of yogic tradition focused instead on other practices, such as expanding spiritual energy using breathing methods and mental focus.

The tradition began to gain popularity in the West at the end of the 19th century. An explosion of interest in postural yoga occurred in the 1920s and 1930s, first in India and later in the West.

A Tool to Reveal the Self

The Sanskrit root yuj means to “yoke,” “bind,” or “join together.” It also indicates “union” or “Oneness.” At the deepest spiritual level, yoga allows us to reveal the Self, the True Essence of our Being. Ultimately, it is the means by which we realize that there is no separation between anyone or anything. Everything is One. According to the Yoga Shikha Upanishad: “Verily, there is no virtue greater than Yoga, no good greater than Yoga, and no subtlety greater than Yoga. There is nothing that is greater than Yoga.”

Defining yoga in an all-encompassing way can be challenging. There are so many distinct and overlapping aspects, layers, branches, and nuances within the vastness of yoga that a single definition inherently creates a limitation.

And yet, the real essence of yoga is about transcending all limitations. Yoga is an empirical science and philosophy aimed at understanding life’s most important questions.

An Art, Science, and Philosophy

The modern yogi B.K.S. Iyengar describes yoga in this way:

“Yoga is an art, a science and a philosophy. It touches the life of man at every level, physical, mental, and spiritual. It is a practical method for making one’s life purposeful, useful and noble.

As honey is sweet from any part of the honeycomb, so is yoga.

It enables every part of the human system to become attuned to its essence, the conscious seer within.

Yoga alone enables the practitioner to perceive and experience the world within and around himself, to touch the divine joy of all creation, and then to share that nectar of divine wealth and happiness with his fellow beings.”

Four Categories of Yoga

Stephen Cope, the author of Yoga and the Quest for the True Self, divides yoga into four categories:

Yoga as mystical union. From this perspective, yoga applies broadly to any tradition or person seeking to go beyond personal consciousness in order to unite with the Absolute. Thus, it is not limited to saints or yogis in India, but applies just as aptly to other contemplative traditions—be they Buddhist, Jain, Taoist, Sufi, Christian, or Jewish mystics—and anyone seeking to merge with the Divine. From this perspective, St. John of the Cross would be just as much a yogi as Swami Sivananda. Here, yoga is about the realization of mystical union, the Consciousness of Oneness.
Yoga as a broad term for an Indian spiritual discipline. Here, yoga refers to a particular spiritual technology, with its origins in India as early as 1800 B.C. Recent archaeological excavations in the Indus River Valley have uncovered depictions of people in positions that can be recognized as yoga asanas (postures) even today. These practitioners approached yoga in a highly experiential and experimental way, often involving renunciation and strict discipline.
Particular branches of yoga.
Classical Yoga. When many practitioners talk about yoga, they are specifically referring to the comprehensive system of yoga laid out in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Yoga

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Yoga? | Reference.com

Advantages of yoga
Yoga has many advantages over other methods of maintaining health, such as gymnastics, athletics, aerobics, games, and various other forms of exercise. It does not need any costly equipment and materials, or playgrounds, swimming pool, gyms, etc. Yoga can be practiced throughout the year. It can also be practiced inside the house or in the open, singly or in groups. The only requirement is a thick carpet spread on the floor and covered with a clean sheet of cloth.

Yoga should only be practiced on empty stomach. You can do it at any time during the day. It will benefit you irrespective of whether you are young or old, lean or heavily built, highly educated or unlettered, rich or poor, from higher or lower middle class, busy, over busy, or retired or worker in the factory or in the field. Yoga has something very valuable, and useful to offer to everyone. It is often described as the best form of health insurance for all from the age of 7 to 77 or more. Two main advantages of Yoga are prevention of disorders and ailments and maintenance of health and fitness in daily life. Other advantage include flexible muscles, supple joints, relaxed and tension–free mind and efficiently working vital organs such as the heart, lungs, endocrine glands, liver, pancreas and good balance between various functions, such as neuromuscular coordination, etc.

Can all the yoga techniques be practiced in all age groups?
Although yoga can be practiced in all age groups, some techniques are more suited and desirable for specific age groups. For example, some asanas that involve forward and backward bending are good for children aged 5 to 10 years. At about 10 years of age, the asanas that have an upside down position and deep breathing can be started. Shuddhikriyas should not be practiced everyday. They need to be performed as and when required for removal of impurities from the body. However, Kapalabhati Nauli can be done every day. They are generally most suited for people in age group of 20 to 60 years. Relaxation is necessary for all, irrespective of age. People in all age groups can therefore practice meditation regularly. It is desirable that older people avoid asanas that involve excessive stretching, such as the plough pose or halasana. Strenuous poses such as the scorpion or vrischikasana head–stand or shirshasana should also be avoided older people. When yoga is practiced for therapeutic purpose to overcome or cure ailments, other restrictions are necessary. This is why yoga should not be practiced unless you have learned the correct technique from an expert.

Disadvantages of Yoga
If you only have 20 minutes a day to spend on your body and your foremost goal is to burn lots of calories, yoga will disappoint you. Although yoga is a sound adjunct to any weight–loss program and has even been shown to promote gradual weight loss, it is not primarily a fat–burning enterprise.

Another potential pitfall is finding a qualified teacher. Before enrolling in a class, ask what type of training the instructor had. Currently, there is no national certification program for yoga instructors. Voluntary certification is available from various groups, but some organizations award teaching certificates to people who have completed only a weekend course. The Yoga Alliance – a voluntary national coalition of yoga organizations and individual yoga teachers – is seeking to establish voluntary national standards for yoga teachers, but not all yoga instructors agree with those standards or support the alliance’s philosophy. To reap the intangible benefits of yoga, it helps to be humble and to realize that yoga is meant to be practiced, not perfected. It’s a noncompetitive activity. According to Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D., founder–director of the U.S. based Yoga Research and Education Center, at the heart of yoga is “The assumption that you have not yet tapped into your full potential as a human being.”

Even for the most open–minded beginner, yoga is not easy to learn. Although you don’t need to be flexible or in shape to do yoga, the practice is physically, emotionally and mentally challenging.

Importance of Freedom of Speech in a Democracy

Democracy is a word we hear so frequently that often its meanings and contents are assumed and taken for granted. If we look at the etymology of the word, “democracy” is a combination of the Greek words ‘demos and ‘kratos’ meaning “the people” and “power” respectively. Together they mean “power of the people” or “power to the people”. It is from this that the idea of democracy as “for the people, by the people and of the people” emerges. Democracy is generally considered as the most efficient and viable form of governance in the modern world. The Greeks practiced a form of direct democracy which is the precursor to our current systems of governance. Representative democracy is the norm in most nations practicing democracy now as opposed to direct democracy. This involves the will of the people on the decision of who is most suited to represent them in the parliament. In the direct form of democracy, individuals participate directly in the process but many such as slaves and women were not considered as participants. Citizens in a democracy are guaranteed rights as well as duties. India is a parliamentary republic with the president as head of state and the prime minister as head of government. In the Indian Constitution, the fundamental rights of the citizen are listed in Articles 12-35, and they are the right to equality, right to freedom, right against exploitation, right to freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights, and right to constitutional remedies. Subsumed under right to freedom is the right to freedom of speech and expression in Article 19. The citizen who is to “abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions” must ensure that those she has elected into power are executing their duties accordingly.

The term “freedom of speech” refers to the articulation of ideas by sound while the term “freedom of expression” also encapsulates expressions through art that might be non-verbal, freedom of the press and acts of communicating informal, regardless of the medium that is employed. Both of these terms are currently used interchangeably. Freedom of expression is recognized as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It promotes creativity, individuality, autonomy, self-realization of the individual, gives him an active role in deciding matters of policy and provides space for criticism of the government. Curbing of free speech and expression is one of the first signs of the disintegration of democracy. One of the reasons there has to be freedom of speech is that of engaging in the governing process. To participate in the way that their nation, their society and themselves are defined, a citizen should be able to articulate their ideas and opinions.

Freedom of speech thus functions as a way of keeping all selfish and tyrannical ambitions of the ruler which is not for the benefit or desire of the public in check. It is called into question when it infringes on other rights such as democratic equality, privacy, or another’s right to expression. It is the inherent ambiguity of free speech boundaries that is exploited and manipulated in many situations by those wielding power and bent on a certain agenda. The privileging of voices, and who gets to decide who speaks and who is heard as well as who is to be silenced are questions that need to be asked.

There has to be constant and critical conversations among the public that are maintained at all costs lest a state of affairs where democracy becomes meaningless as a system comes by. One should be able to speak fearlessly. It is essential that prejudices and opinions not remain unchallenged and unquestioned, and there is an active promotion of a spirit of critical thinking and enquiry thereby reforming the mind as well. The absence of such evaluation can easily lead to a deterioration of the ideals of democracy. It is more important than ever now to ensure that the citizens are aware of their duty beyond voting and that their voices are heard. There is a need to ask the right questions and be aware of the complications that are part of the discussions on free speech. It is not so much about the revolution that speech can make as it is about the very act of speaking fearlessly, exercising our right as well as our discernment, and holding those in power accountable.

Drop Shipping

Dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method where a store doesn’t keep the products it sells in stock. Instead, when a store sells a product using the dropshipping model, it purchases the item from a third party and has it shipped directly to the customer. As a result, the seller doesn’t have to handle the product directly.

The biggest difference between dropshipping and the standard retail model is that the selling merchant doesn’t stock or own inventory. Instead, the seller purchases inventory as needed from a third party—usually a wholesaler or manufacturer—to fulfill orders.

Benefits of dropshipping

Dropshipping is a great business model for aspiring entrepreneurs to start with because it’s accessible. With dropshipping, you can quickly test different business ideas with limited downside, which lets you learn a lot about how to choose and market in-demand products. Here are a few other reasons why dropshipping is such a popular model.

1. Less capital is required

Probably the biggest advantage to dropshipping is that it’s possible to launch an ecommerce store without having to invest thousands of dollars in inventory up front. Traditionally, retailers have had to tie up huge amounts of capital purchasing inventory.

With the dropshipping model, you don’t have to purchase a product unless you’ve already made the sale and have been paid by the customer. Without significant up-front inventory investments, it’s possible to start sourcing products and launch a successful dropshipping business with very little money. And because you’re not committed to selling-through any inventory purchased up front, like in a traditional retail business, there’s less risk involved in starting a dropshipping store.

2. Easy to get started

Running an ecommerce business is much easier when you don’t have to deal with physical products. With dropshipping, you don’t have to worry about:

Managing or paying for a warehouse
Packing and shipping your orders
Tracking inventory for accounting reasons
Handling returns and inbound shipments
Continually ordering products and managing stock level

3. Low overhead

Because you don’t have to deal with purchasing inventory or managing a warehouse, your overhead expenses are quite low. In fact, many successful dropshipping stores are run as home-based businesses, requiring little more than a laptop and a few recurring expenses to operate. As you grow, these costs will likely increase but will still be low compared to those of traditional brick-and-mortar businesses.

4. Flexible location

A dropshipping business can be run from just about anywhere with an internet connection. As long as you can communicate with suppliers and customers easily, you can run and manage your business.

How does dropshipping work?

The working process of drop shipping is quite simple. It includes 3 simple steps as follows:

The store owner publishes products he wishes to sell on his online store. The customer sees the product and places an order on the website.
The retailer receives details about the order and forwards the details of the customer and order manually or automatically to the dropship supplier.
The supplier then packages and ships the required products directly to the customer with the store owner’s branding.

This is an attractive business model as it eliminates the warehousing cost of the store owner. Also, he need not have a physical business location.

Importance of Induction

Induction means introduction of a new employee to the job and the organisation. It is the process of welcoming an employee when he or she first joins the organisation and giving him or her the basic information that he or she should know. Induction process is important for employees as he holds an important and the most eminent role in building the image of the organisation. It is not only receiving and welcoming an employee in an organisation but also it is the process of making him or her familiar with its culture. Induction is a type of training given to new employees. As new employees need to understand the organisation’s mission, goals, values and philosophy, health and safety rules and the job they are required to do. The main aim of an induction session is to familiarise the employee to the organisation and its culture and to guarantee a successful integration of the employees and the management. If an organisation provides a well – planned induction program to its employees this will help in employee retention. Induction program is needed as it clearly indicates that what is expected from an employee in terms of standard and style of the work they are to perform, it also helps the employee to develop their aptitude and talents. The importance of Induction are –

Job Satisfaction and Positive Attitude – The Induction program can contribute towards the development of a positive attitude towards the employer and the organisation and job satisfaction on the part of new employee. Induction program ensures that the new employee knows all the policies of the organisation and other employment practices.
Contribute to Organisational Success more quickly – Induction program helps in assisting new employee to contribute to organisational success more quickly. At the induction program, an employee get to know about various important things which is essential for them to know. This will help the employee to fulfill both personal and organisational goals.
Reduces Employee Turnover – It is seen that employee turnover is particularly high during the employee’s initial period of service. So, this induction program helps in boosting the morale of new employee as through this program the employee feels motivated and also get a feeling that everyone is there to support him or her. And if the same session does not take place in any organisation the employee build up negative feelings towards the task during this time and then the employee leave the organisation. An effective induction session can make a positive contribution towards limiting employee turnover.
Sense of Belongingness – An induction program helps in bringing a sense of belongingness in the mind of a new employee as a day is spent on them for introduction with their new colleagues, superiors, etc. On this particular day itself new employees foster better social bonds with their fellow mates.
Saves a lot of Time and Money – As this is the first training program in which the employee participate after he joins the organisation. If an employee is trained nicely in the induction session, he or she can easily adapt the environment and the new role and can give his or her best. And in this way the organisation can save a lot of time and money.

Last But Not the Least

Recruitment process and induction programs work together during the hiring process of an employee into an organisation. Induction session is a great way to train your new employees on their new roles in the organisation and give them a great start at your organisation.

Want to be a entrepreneur? Business skills that you should master

Are you aspiring to be the next Steve Jobs of Mark Zuckerberg? That’s great. These are some of the greatest entrepreneurs known today. An entrepreneur is one who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit. Being an entrepreneur can be rest when it comes to a fixed schedule and the most important thing is that you enjoy what you work.

But in order to be a successful entrepreneur you need to have the right skillset which suits your business. Acquiring these skills can be very effective when it comes to success of your entrenpeurship!

Here are the essential soft skills that you will need to learn or import to help you to succeed in your business:

Delegate your work

Delegation involves assigning responsibility to other people for the completion of work. The ideal position that you want to obtain is one where your staff carries out all the routine activities of your business. Effective delegation involves achieving the correct balance between effective controls and allowing people to complete their job effectively.

Be a good communicator

Communication is an important part of a business but the sad part is that it is the taken for granted. Good communication skills can enable you to convey your idea effectively to your colleagues and employees. Communication does not include only verbal part, it also includes the non verbal part such as body posture, level of eye contact, your dressing sense, your gestures and actions. This things together present a picture of yours Infront of your colleagues.

Be a leader!!

Strong leaders can help an organisation to maximize productivity and achieve business goals, whereas weak leadership can hurt productivity and put the health of the business in jeopardy. Leadership is not one blanket characteristic that cures all ills, however, there are many different elements that must be present for an organization’s leadership to be considered adequate.

Learn to negotiate!!

Negotiation skills are qualities that allow two or more parties to reach a compromise. These are often soft skills and include abilities such as communication, persuasion, planning, strategizing and cooperating. Understanding these skills is the first step to becoming a stronger negotiator.

Develop a strategic plan…

A business plan is about setting short- or mid-term goals and defining the steps necessary to achieve them. A strategic plan is typically focused on a business’ mid- to long-term goals and explains the basic strategies for achieving them.

Analyse…

Analytical skills refer to the ability to collect and analyze information, problem-solve, and make decisions. Employees who possess these strengths can help solve a company’s problems and improve its overall productivity and success.

Learn to sell!!

Sales techniques are the methods that sales professionals use to create revenue.The techniques are refined through trial and error based on the sales associate’s experiences. Developing effective sales techniques is an ongoing process for an individual and his entire organisation.

Manage your finances

This skill comprises of analysing the companies balance sheet and identifying which of your products are profitable for your business. These are important to uphold the financial stability of the business ensuring that the cost is not exceeding the revenue generated.

Learn the Art of Time management

Time Management is a set of related common-sense skills that help you use your time in the most effective and productive way. Time Management is a very important skill to master. Learning this skill will empower you to achieve more and to use your time wisely. The key is to know how to manage your time efficiently and to focus on the activities most likely to deliver value to your business.

How can you learn these skills and succeed in your business?

With developing technology, everything is available in the comfort of your home. Here, are some of the amazing ways that will definitely help you to enhance your skills…

Do a online course. Yes, you heard it right. Do a course in anything you love and wish to be a entrepreneur in it. It can be finance, marketing or anything. Sky is the limit!!
Do internships. There are some well known platforms like Internshala and let’s intern which provide the platform to connect the employers with interns like us. Doing a internship have countless benefits it gives you exposure into the corporate world even before you enter in it. Your overall personality gets developed eventually.
Next one and the perhaps the easiest one you can do is engage with as many people as you can. Learn the skill to express your ideas, work on your expression, gestures.

Acquiring these skills will take time definitely but once you have done achieved perfection in this , noone will be able to stop you from achieving your goals.

All the best!!!

A little note about Water

The importance of water

Water is one of the most important substances on earth. All plants and animals must have water to survive. If there was no water there would be no life on earth.

Plants and animals need water.

Apart from drinking it to survive, people have many other uses for water. These include:

cooking
washing their bodies
washing clothes
washing cooking and eating utensils; such as billies, saucepans, crockery and cutlery
keeping houses and communities clean
recreation; such as swimming pools
keeping plants alive in gardens and parks

Water is also essential for the healthy growth of farm crops and farm stock and is used in the manufacture of many products.

Some domestic uses of water.

It is most important that the water which people drink and use for other purposes is clean water. This means that the water must be free of germs and chemicals and be clear (not cloudy).

Water that is safe for drinking is called potable water.

Disease-causing germs and chemicals can find their way into water supplies. When this happens the water becomes polluted or contaminated and when people drink it or come in contact with it in other ways they can become very sick.

Water that is not safe to drink is said to be non-potable. Throughout history there have been many occasions when hundreds of thousands of people have died because disease-causing germs have been spread through a community by a polluted water supply.

One of the reasons this happens less frequently now is that people in many countries make sure drinking water supplies are potable. Water supplies are routinely checked for germs and chemicals which can pollute water. If the water is not safe to drink it is treated. All the action taken to make sure that drinking water is potable is called water treatment.

Sources of water

There are many ways in which we can collect water. The main sources are discussed below.

Surface water

This is water which falls to the ground as rain or hail.

This water is collected from a special area called a catchment. The catchment feeds water into a holding area via rivers, streams and creeks. The water is then stored in a natural or artificial (manmade) barrier called a dam or reservoir. Dams are usually placed at the lower end of a valley.

Catchment areas are usually far away from towns or cities to lessen the chance of the water being polluted. There are laws which control human activities, such as farming and recreation in catchment areas and on dams to make sure that water supplies are kept potable.

A surface water dam.

Rivers or lakes

Town or community water supplies are sometimes drawn directly from nearby rivers or lakes.

Rivers and lakes can supply water.

Springs

These are found where underground water flows out of the ground naturally without the use of bores, wells or pumps.
Springs often occur towards the bottom of a hill or on sloping ground.

A spring.

Rock catchment areas and rockholes

Sometimes large rocky outcrops contain low areas in which water is trapped. These low areas make good natural dams. Often a wall can be built to increase the amount of trapped water.

A rockhole.

Excavated dams

Excavated dams are made by scooping out soil to make a large shallow hole. These dams are sometimes placed at the bottom of a slope to aid water collection. However, this can only be done in areas where the soil will not allow the water to drain away very easily through the ground. For example, in clay soils.

Soils which do not allow water to drain away are called impervious.

If a community wants a dam in an area where the soil is not impervious this can still be done by digging the hole and lining it with clay or an impervious liner, such as concrete or heavy plastic. Excavated dams are often used by farmers to supply water to stock.

An excavated dam.

There is often a layer of water lying beneath the ground surface, trapped by an impervious layer of rock which will not allow it to drain away. The water may be close to ground level or it may be deep in the ground. This layer of water is called the water table.

When this water table is close to ground level the water may actually come to the surface and create a permanent wet area called a soak. This usually occurs in low lying areas or hollows.

Soaks are affected by changes in the depth of the water table. That is, if the water table drops then soaks may dry up. Some causes of this can be drought or overuse of ground water by people.

A soak.

Rainwater tanks

The rainwater which falls on the roofs of houses is often collected using roof guttering leading through a pipe to a storage tank.

A rainwater tank.

Note: EnHealth’s monograph ‘Guidance on use of Rainwater Tanks’ provides the most up-to-date information and advice on the range of potential hazards that can threaten rain water tank water quality. Environmental Health Practitioners are encouraged to use the guide when planning how to prevent these hazards from contaminating rainwater, straightforward monitoring and maintenance activities and, where necessary, corrective actions. The monograph can be found on the enHealth website or by using a search engine with the title of the monograph.

Bores and wells

These are holes drilled into the ground deep enough to find a permanent (long-lasting) body of water. A pipe runs down the hole into the water and a pump is used to get the water up to ground level. The water is then pumped to the community.

A bore.

Artesian bores

Sometimes when a bore is sunk into a low lying area the water gushes out of the hole under its own pressure. This water is under pressure because it is part of an underground body of water much of which is at a higher level than the bore opening. This kind of bore is called an artesian bore.

An artesian bore.

A water supply taken directly from a bore or well is often called groundwater.

The water which comes from any of these sources may be salty, cloudy, smell unpleasant or have germs in it. Water of this kind would require special treatment to make it potable.

COVID-19 and its effects on the environment

Coronavirus and climate change-related conservation

COVID-19 has heightened wildlife conservation awareness. As Scientific American has cited, wildlife trade secured additional notoriety when the CDC broke the news of a zoonotic pathogen jumping from animals to humans, causing the current pandemic. Secondly, when the American Veterinary Medical Association announced the positive presence of COVID-19 in domestic animals, zoos and BioTechniques Journal likewise saw captive animals test positive with the new coronavirus. This elevated concerns for sources such as UNESCO, Time, Nature and Smithsonian Magazine about the future safety of already threatened species, like the great apes who are similar to humans. Additionally, National Geographic raised alarms on poaching proliferation in conservation reserves as rangers and keepers self-isolated.

a power plant emitting fumes into the air

Should climate change run unabated, future zoonotic disease outbreaks may become the norm, asserts Conservation International and Harvard University’s School of Public Health. Given that healthy animals living in healthy ecosystems are robust enough to resist diseases, by minimizing climate change and protecting habitats, we may be able to avoid future pandemics.

Social distancing has improved air quality

The COVID-19 crisis has forced activity freezes. Lockdowns and calls to shelter-in-place have closed schools and non-essential businesses. Minimal activity from industrial sites, factories and construction sectors has minimized the risks for toxins to escape, in turn improving air quality.

Travel bans have similarly restricted international flights. Canceled conferences, festivals, concerts and other public events have diminished interest in tourism, reports the US Travel Association. Airline ridership has slumped, and airports are as near-empty as they were in the 2001 aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. As such, aviation emissions — which accounted for 2.4% of global CO2 emissions in 2018, according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) — have dropped significantly.

Still, the EPA says vehicular activity contributes more to greenhouse gas emissions than airlines do. Presently, fewer people are commuting, not just in major cities, but all over the world. Traffic nowadays centers mainly around immediate household supply runs to nearby stores, trucking supply transports to retailers or wholesalers, plus commutes by those in essential industries.

Both Traffic Technology Today and The Guardian have spotlighted the United Kingdom’s reduced traffic, which has plunged by 73% “to levels not seen since 1955.” And across the Atlantic Ocean, Canadian traffic has also declined, GEOTAB disclosed. As for the U.S., not only has road travel decreased, but congestion has all but disappeared, says VentureBeat, Next City and USA Today. The decrease in congestion is critical, as idling vehicles emit more pollution.

With substantially less vehicular movement, air quality has improved by leaps and bounds. Numerous sources have covered how air quality indices of the globe’s largest metropolitan areas have improved extensively since strict coronavirus lockdowns were issued. Even NASA satellites from outer-space show the significant reductions in air pollutants, which supports EcoWatch‘s observation that the novel coronavirus pandemic has delivered the silver lining of decreased air pollution.

The Guardian added, “In China, the world’s biggest source of carbon, emissions were down about 18% between early February and mid-March – a cut of 250m tonnes, equivalent to more than half the UK’s annual output. Europe is forecast to see a reduction of around 390m tonnes. Significant falls can also be expected in the US, where passenger vehicle traffic – its major source of CO2 – has fallen by nearly 40%. Even assuming a bounceback once the lockdown is lifted, the planet is expected to see its first fall in global emissions since the 2008-9 financial crisis.”

Reduced carbon emissions and global warming

Just last week, Carbon Brief (CB) published that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted energy use worldwide, which could cut carbon emissions by an estimated 5% of 2019’s global total. That means the coronavirus crisis is so far “trigger[ing] the largest ever annual fall in CO2 emissions in 2020, more than during any previous economic crisis or period of war.” While this is encouraging news, experts say it still may not be adequate for meeting Paris Agreement goals to keep global warming from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius.

What’s happening with fossil fuels during the pandemic?

When the pandemic called for lockdowns, paralyzing both air and ground travel, the demand for fuel was likewise decimated. An oil price war ensued with drastic shifts in global oil politics, thus destabilizing the fossil fuel sector, reported Business Insider. Even Fortune magazine highlighted the worry about where to store the surplus oil. According to Forbes, this pushed President Trump to broker a historic deal, whereby the planet’s top oil producers — namely Saudi Arabia and Russia — agreed to cut oil production.

As Sandy Fielden, director of oil research firm Morningstar, said to the BBC, “This is an unprecedented agreement because it’s not just between Opec and Opec+…but also the largest supplier in the world which is the US as well as other G-20 countries which have agreed to support the agreement both in reducing production and also in using up some of the surface supply by putting it into storage.”

Effects on the renewable energy sector

CNBC showed the renewables industry suffering supply chain cuts and employee layoffs during the deepening COVID-19 recession. There are worries that clean energy investments appear less desirable. Construction and development projects have been delayed as lockdown periods extend. Renewables, therefore, seek slices of the stimulus package to waylay progress derailments, which even the International Energy Agency (IEA) has cautioned about.

a protest sign with an earth painting and words saying "One World"

What’s happening to climate change policy during the coronavirus pandemic?

COVID-19 could portend future pandemics, particularly if global warming unleashes unknown diseases trapped in ice. Ensuring that global warming and climate change do not disrupt our planet’s health is still of paramount importance. Green Tech Media emphasized this, saying, “Climate change didn’t stop as the world turned its attention to combating the coronavirus.” Climate activism continues, despite cancellations to large climate change-related summits, negotiations and conference meetings.

Not all climate advocacy during this time is lost. Optimism reframes these economic stimulus measures as helpful nudges for climate policy and the renewables sector to evolve for the better. Indeed, Clean Energy Wire upholds that these federally-backed stimulus packages can be leveraged to provide investment opportunities in both the infrastructure that can reduce emissions as well as in clean technologies. Science Alert, moreover, contends, “the coronavirus has forced new working-from-home habits that limit commuting, and a broader adoption of online meetings to reduce the need for long-haul business flights. This raises the prospect of long-term emissions reductions should these new work behaviours persist beyond the current global emergency.”

obesity disorder

what is obesity??
obesity starting of stress and depression

Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity isn’t just a cosmetic concern. It is a medical problem that increases your risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

There are many reasons why some people have difficulty avoiding obesity. Usually, obesity results from a combination of inherited factors, combined with the environment and personal diet and exercise choices.

The good news is that even modest weight loss can improve or prevent the health problems associated with obesity. Dietary changes, increased physical activity and behavior changes can help you lose weight.

Causes

Although there are genetic, behavioral, metabolic and hormonal influences on body weight, obesity occurs when you take in more calories than you burn through exercise and normal daily activities. Your body stores these excess calories as fat.

Most Americans’ diets are too high in calories — often from fast food and high-calorie beverages. People with obesity might eat more calories before feeling full, feel hungry sooner, or eat more due to stress or anxiety.

Risk factors

Obesity usually results from a combination of causes and contributing factors:

Family inheritance and influences

The genes you inherit from your parents may affect the amount of body fat you store, and where that fat is distributed. Genetics may also play a role in how efficiently your body converts food into energy, how your body regulates your appetite and how your body burns calories during exercise.

Obesity tends to run in families. That’s not just because of the genes they share. Family members also tend to share similar eating and activity habits.

Lifestyle choices

Unhealthy diet. A diet that’s high in calories, lacking in fruits and vegetables, full of fast food, and laden with high-calorie beverages and oversized portions contributes to weight gain.
Liquid calories. People can drink many calories without feeling full, especially calories from alcohol. Other high-calorie beverages, such as sugared soft drinks, can contribute to significant weight gain.
Inactivity. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, you can easily take in more calories every day than you burn through exercise and routine daily activities. Looking at computer, tablet and phone screens is a sedentary activity. The number of hours you spend in front of a screen is highly associated with weight gain.
stress.In most of the cases ,shows that when you starting to take lots of stress you might become feel heavy not only on your mind nut your body become heavier day by day.

Other factors

Pregnancy. Weight gain is common during pregnancy. Some women find this weight difficult to lose after the baby is born. This weight gain may contribute to the development of obesity in women. Breast-feeding may be the best option to lose the weight gained during pregnancy.
Quitting smoking. Quitting smoking is often associated with weight gain. And for some, it can lead to enough weight gain to qualify as obesity. Often, this happens as people use food to cope with smoking withdrawal. In the long run, however, quitting smoking is still a greater benefit to your health than is continuing to smoke. Your doctor can help you prevent weight gain after quitting smoking.
Lack of sleep. Not getting enough sleep or getting too much sleep can cause changes in hormones that increase your appetite. You may also crave foods high in calories and carbohydrates, which can contribute to weight gain.

Previous attempts to lose weight. Previous attempts of weight loss followed by rapid weight regain may contribute to further weight gain. This phenomenon, sometimes called yo-yo dieting, can slow your metabolism.

Even if you have one or more of these risk factors, it doesn’t mean that you’re destined to develop obesity. You can counteract most risk factors through diet, physical activity and exercise, and behavior changes.

Complications

People with obesity are more likely to develop a number of potentially serious health problems, including:

Heart disease and strokes. Obesity makes you more likely to have high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels, which are risk factors for heart disease and strokes.
Type 2 diabetes. Obesity can affect the way your body uses insulin to control blood sugar levels. This raises your risk of insulin resistance and diabetes.
Certain cancers. Obesity may increase your risk of cancer of the uterus, cervix, endometrium, ovary, breast, colon, rectum, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney and prostate.
Digestive problems. Obesity increases the likelihood that you’ll develop heartburn, gallbladder disease and liver problems.

Prevention:

Exercise regularly. You need to get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to prevent weight gain. Moderately intense physical activities include fast walking and swimming.
Follow a healthy-eating plan. Focus on low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid saturated fat and limit sweets and alcohol. Eat three regular meals a day with limited snacking. You can still enjoy small amounts of high-fat, high-calorie foods as an infrequent treat. Just be sure to choose foods that promote a healthy weight and good health most of the time.
Know and avoid the food traps that cause you to eat. Identify situations that trigger out-of-control eating. Try keeping a journal and write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you’re feeling and how hungry you are. After a while, you should see patterns emerge. You can plan ahead and develop strategies for handling these types of situations and stay in control of your eating behaviors.
Monitor your weight regularly. People who weigh themselves at least once a week are more successful in keeping off excess pounds. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working and can help you detect small weight gains before they become big problems.
Be consistent. Sticking to your healthy-weight plan during the week, on the weekends, and amidst vacation and holidays as much as possible increases your chances of long-term success.

RECENT GUIDELINES HAVE REVEALED THAT 10-15% OF INDIAN POPULATION WOULD FALL UNDER THE OBESE CATEGORY AND WOULD NEED APPROPRIATE MANAGEMENT .

SPORTS

Sport or sports is all forms of usually competitive physical. Activity which,through casual or organised participation,aim to use maintain or improve physical abilities and skills while providing entertainment to participants, and in some causes, spectators. The history of sports extends back to the ancient world.the physical activity that developed into sports had early links with ritual,warfare and entertainment.

The history of sports can teach lessons about social changes and about the nature of sport itself, as sports seems involved in the development of basic human skills

As far back as the beginnings of sports, it was related to military training for example,competitive was used as a mean to determine whether individuals were fit and useful for service.

the documented history of sports goes back at least 3000 years. In the beginning sports often involved the preparation for war or training as a hunter .

the first Olympic games in 776BC which included events such as foot and chariot races,wrestling, jumping, and discus and javelin throwing -the ancient Greek introduced formal sports to the world.

And the benefit of sports are being active and exercising regularly is a secret to good health.

While there are many ways to keep one active,it would be good if you understand the benefits associated with sports

It has been proven by research and science that engaging in some sporting activity could help a lot in improving your over all physical and mental fitness.

And these are the some important benefits of sports are.

It improves mood ,improves concentrations ,helps reduce tension and stress quality of sleep improves. It helps in maintaining optimal health, improve self confidence levels. , and it helps children’s a lot.

Mental health benefits reduced anxiety and depression stress reliever,makes you happy, promotes positive mood.

Physical benefits increase strength and stamina ,better body shape ,improves your personality, reduces several health risks.

Emotional benefits positive body image, self-esteem, relieves stress,reduces depression.

Educational benefits develop discipline to set goals and work to achieve those goals strategic thinking,math skills,communication

EFFECTS OF MAN MADE TECHNOLOGY

We live in the age of technology. We commute by automobiles and airplanes and communicate by emails and mobiles. The media and the Internet provide us the latest information from all over the world. Movies filled with hi-tech special effects entertain us. Air conditioners and room heaters keep our life comfortable despite climatic inconveniences. The list goes on. Technology has transformed almost every aspect of our lives. Of course, a few of us may have concerns about the pollution and environmental problems that technology has led to. But overall most people feel that technology has benefited us immensely.

In the mid-20th century, people have gained control technology sufficient to leave the Earth’s atmosphere and space for the first time. The technology used to know the techniques or methods of organization to solve the problem by the method of right and serve the purpose. Technology affects the person and the possibility of other kinds of animals to adapt to the natural environment. Human species has begun using the technology that makes it simple natural tools. Discovery of prehistory, the ability to control fire increased food sources and the invention of the wheel helped humans to travel and explore your surroundings. However, not all technology has been used for peaceful purposes to develop weapons and destructive power has evolved over the centuries, from clubs to nuclear weapons. Technology also has an impact on society and the environment in many ways. In many societies, technology has helped bring a more developed economy and allow the entertainment show class. Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, harm the earth and its surroundings. Different use of technology influences the values of society and new technology often increases the new ethical questions.

The aim of the technology when it began is good. A lot of things we use it and can’t imagine our life without it. So, the technology helps us in our life to be more easily. When a technology has been used by communities to compete to develop themselves. Therefore, the technology has two faces are the face of good and the other face is evil. And with that despite the good start that was designed to facilitate people’s lives. For example, when he invented dynamite was to open the mines know, and iron and other minerals, but after then used in World War this is how the beginning but the end is bad. So he makes Nobel PRIZE to encourage people to make a good invite which help the world and people.

Technology improves our goodness of life. By use the technology we have important discoveries. In our life we depend in technology in everything in our life. When you think about the technology you found yourself use it every minute. So, it is important in our life and the life will be different without it. The technology enters in all fields like pharmacy, medicine and engineering. It’s difficult to see field without technology.

Technology is a measure of human development. Technology is part of the life of every human- We can live without a technology and technology can’t exist without us.

So, of course- technology is blessing for us. Technology is a necessary to live and to prove conditions of our live. New technologies help in every field of our life. It is possible to invent a new medicines against dangerous diseases. It is possible travel by car of talking by phone. We can multiply a positive examples in different field of our life. Of course, technology has also a second, worst side. It can be used against people, for instance in act of terrorism. However, we shouldn’t scare about it.

We see it everywhere, in cars, trucks, airplanes, ships, car interiors, toys and more. Life will never be the same without wheels. They range from wooden carts and carriages, a simple device, but it provides over time developed.

If there is no technology, why don’t we just imagine our lives without?

Technology. Waking up by the rays of sunlight, getting water to use from wells,

Going to so -called schools/colleges /universities or other institutions by walking

God know how long, no cure of diseases, no entertainment, and no nothing.

Technology easier work of human beings. It can be both blessing and a curse, because our whole world now -a-days revolves around technology i.e.; How we communicate with each other? How we see the world? And How everything else etc.

Basically, technology is a mean of communication between the individual s and the way by which information can be exchanged between them. It serves us as a source to share our ideas or thoughts with other people.

Now the question is… When technology began? In 500 B.C; the Abacus, which is also called a counting -frame, was the first 1927, first Television was introduced and so on.

In the past, people had limited resources for communication like they had to travel miles to give a simple message or convey information from one person to another. There was a decade when messages were in the form of pictures; than in the form of different fonts or alphabets. Messages were conveyed by birds like pigeons. Now -a-days, information technology has made this so easier to communicate, send or receive messages throughout the world.

Technology is everywhere in today’s society, progressing faster and faster every day, but sometimes technology can be used irresponsibly, which could endanger others e.g.; Computer where knowledge is handy. On the other side, a study has found those who work for more than a decade at a computer terminal are twice as likely to develop Bowel Cancer. Another well –known technology Cell phones; the absolute means of communication. A research says that 78% of teens now have a cellphones. Everyone knows cellphones are one of the surprising gift of the technology that are able to perform a lot of works at once. Now -a-days, cellphone is not just a phone, but it is like our private secretary that keeps track of everything and provides us necessary information. A research shows that after ten years, ipsilateral tumors e.g.; the tumors in brain, eye, ear etc. will be started in human beings. Another well -known technology now -a-days are the Televisions. No doubt they are in everyone’s house, bonds the families.

As all know technology helps in many way s but these are some key points which shows how technology helping us are:-

• It saves time.

• It improves efficiency.

• It allows us to do more with less.

• It gives us every -type of information.

• It can be a mean of entertainment.

• It allows us to experience new cultures.

• It can be beneficial in online learning.

• It makes easy to communicate with the people around the world.

Now we can say this technology is a part of life even we can’t think about to live without it. Technology is the oxygen of twenty -first century, many people rely on the

Technology too much.so, the conclusion is a blessing, and everything is better as the technology used to create everything for everyone.

It’s Okay To Be Sad

This one is for all the people out there who are energetic and quirky all the time. Who brightens up every room the moment they walk in. The ‘life of the party’ people!

Such kinds of people are generally thought of as happy-go-lucky. They make everyone laugh and keep them entertained. Now mind you, I am not saying that all of these people are sad and feel like they are responsible for entertaining the rest of us. But there are a bunch of people who feel like they have to make everyone laugh. Not all of them, but yes, there is definitely a section of homo-sapiens who think like that.

As a result, whenever anything sad and unfortunate happens to them, they suppress their emotions. They don’t give themselves a chance to process their lives’ events. They are with the thought process that if they become all sad, who is going to keep their friends and family entertained?

This one is also for those who think that they have to be strong for everyone else’s sake. Maybe the 18-year-old someone who has to work nonstop to feed the family. Someone who thinks that if they won’t take care of others, no one will. Someone who constantly feel the need to be happy. And there are many more. This one is for all of them.

It is extremely important for them to process emotions like everyone else. What I am trying to say is, it’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to cry, yell, and scream when you are feeling sad or betrayed. Basically expressing negative emotions (to some extent) is equally important for these people.

boss-fight-free-high-quality-stock-images-photos-photography-sad-man-1200x800

Now, we all have our ways of letting out this negative energy. Some of us, talk to their parents. Some of us call up a friend. Some of us listen to music. Some of us meditate. And some of us go in our shell to regain our energy. It is just as important how we express emotions as it is to deal with them. Because if we let it all inside of us, never giving these emotions a chance to let themselves out, then we are just burdening our minds with it. By showing emotions, we don’t become weak. By crying (it’s proven scientifically) we actually become a bit more emotionally strong.

Now, what I must stress on is that expressing your feelings and dealing with them are two separate things. Although they both are a part of the same process. Without expressing your emotions you can’t deal with them. If you can’t deal with them and still keep pretending that everything in your life is perfect, it will ultimately take a bad toll on your entire mental health. Suppressing is one of the defense mechanisms. Suppressing negative memories or emotions to pretend like everything is fine, is a way to defend your psyche from these same things you are suppressing. This defense mechanism is a very sketchy one. We should know when to let our emotions out and when to get them in control.

This process is difficult. Very difficult. It takes a lot of time, practice, and dedication to master this process. What aids us while we are working through the process is usually talking to someone you trust about your feelings and emotions. Talking about it is probably the most recommended way to deal with it. We have to learn how to talk. Even if you are the most introverted person in the world. Maybe start by writing your thoughts somewhere and then progress slowly towards talking to someone. It can be literally anyone. A friend, a parent, a sibling, or even an acquaintance. And if you still are unable to succeed at finding any of them trustworthy, talk to an expert. A psychologist. They are trained and put in all their life’s time into studying humans and their behavior. Plus they are bound to keep your story to themselves. So they can be your safe haven.

Someone wisely said, “Working through your problem is the only way to completely get rid of it.”

Factors Affecting Employee Retention

“Train people well enough so they can leave, Treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”

By Richard Branson

The above quote by Sir Richard Branson provide us so deep inspiration and knowledge that we generally don’t think. Earlier employees were regarded as machines or tools but now they are considered as an asset to the organisation. Really these employees are an asset to the organisation as employees are the major contributors to profit and worth of the organisation. The greatest investment we can make is in people. They are considered as the backbone of any organisation. Without employees no organisation can think of its success and even it’s not possible too. As said by Peter Drucker in 1999 – ” The most valuable assets of a 20th century company were its production equipment, The most valuable assets of a 21st century institution, whether business or non – business, will be its knowledge workers and their productivity.” These words by Peter Drucker can be clearly seen in the present scenario. But retaining these potential employees is also a big problem. So first we should know what is employee retention. In layman’s term employee retention means the ability of an organisation to retain its employees so that they don’t quit their jobs. It is very important for an organisation to retain its employees as an organisation has invested a lot of time, money and effort on these employees. And if they leave the organisation the company has to bear the losses and also has to recruit new employees and again they have to invest time, money and effort on these new employees to make them fit for the new job. So retaining the employee is a tough task for HR. There are many factors affecting employee retention they are –

Training- Employee Retention starts from day one itself. As from the starting day itself employees think whether he or she want to stay or leave. So training plays an important role in retention of employees. As training is a very essential part in any organisation as training is a learning process in which an employee get an opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and competency as per the job requirements. Through training an organisation invest in its employees in order to make them competent enough and help its employees to sustain in this dynamic environment. In the same way, through this training employees develop a greater sense of self – worth as now they became more valuable to the organisation and hence employees develop a sense of belongingness.
Compensation- Compensation is the most important factor. As this can only determine whether the employee will stay or leave. After we hire an employee, compensation and benefits is the only part which can help in retention and motivation. As, if the employee feels that he or she is receiving a good package from your organisation he or she will work hard or otherwise they will leave. So compensation and benefits have direct impact on retention.
Relationship between Manager and Employee- Employee- manager relationship is very crucial and important. As a poor relation between the two can lead to employee attrition. There are some employees for whom relations matter a lot than any other things like compensation and benefits, rewards and recognition. So, the relationship between the two should be nice.
Recognition and Rewards- Everybody in this world like to get rewards and recognised by someone. By employee recognition we mean highlighting the positive efforts and achievements in the workplace. This may include both personal traits and professional achievements. As through rewarding and recognising our employee we can foster a sense of engagement with the work. This will motivate them to work hard and stay in the organisation.
Work-life Balance- It is very important for an organisation to retain its top – performing employees. Not only salary, but work environment is also a factor which may distract your employees that whether they want to stay or leave. There are many types of work – life balance arrangements like Flextime, Job-sharing and Part-time work. An organisation should provide these facilities to retain them.

Last But not the Least

Retention and Turnover affects everyone in the organisation. It is not always possible that you can retain each and everyone. One or other will leave the organisation sooner or later. Handling employee retention is not an easy task. The only thing you can do is try to improvise your employee retention strategies from time to time according to your requirement and need. On this note, keep your team happy, healthy and safe.

Life doesn’t come with a set of rules!

Life is a race just like Virus used to say. Wait . Hold on a second. Which Virus am I talking about? Well, its the Virus from the movie ‘3 IDIOTS’. I am sure everyone remembers that ‘Virus’ and yes ofcourse the another virus we all are dealing with today.

Well, life is not a race. We live in such a system where we have to follow certain patterns of life that we forget what actually living life is like.

Right from the beginning, we have been told what has to be done. Attend school, college, get graduated, get a job, get settled, get married, have kids, get them settled following the same pattern, then get old and then you just have to wait for the day of your death.

So all these things we do in our life just to die one day. The question here arises is ‘What is the point?’ In all these patterns or set of rules that every people has to follow, when was the time we actually lived and created memories? When was the time we did all the things we wanted to do to make ourselves happy? Did we completed all the bucket list of our lives? Can we die peacefully with no regrets in our lives?

Well, the answer is ‘No’. We can’t change these patterns but yes we can change our lives by the way we think about it. Life doesn’t come with a set of rules.

I don’t say its incorrect. But yes who made these rules? These patterns? That we have to abide by them.

There are people who don’t want to study but want to do something different which is okay. There are people who don’t want to get married and that is okay too. There are people who want to live a life where they can be happy. Everyone has their own idea of living which is completely okay.

It is okay to not doing things that everyone is doing. It is okay to have a completely different life goals. It is okay to not have a job right after graduating. It is okay to not get married right away after getting settled. It is okay to not have kids after getting married. It is okay, my friend!

You live your life once. You should always do what your heart says and there is no necessity of doing things in order to follow certain patterns.

Its your life. Live the way you want to live and nobody should tell you what you should be doing. You have the right to do it your way and create the life you want for yourself.

Remember- You are answerable to no one. As far it makes you happy, the things you are doing or the things you want to do.

Do it for yourself.

Lastly, Let’s not judge people. Let’s not laugh at others and motivate them to just not live their life but to live happily.

Indian pharma sector gets affected by China factor:Heparin becomes dearer

Background

The NPPA( National Pharmaceutical Pricing authority) in 2018 had capped the price for Heparin. But in this pandemic period, NPPA has allowed the hike in prices of Heparin by 50 percent till December 31. This was done to mitigate the shortage of the drug in the Indian market. The shortage of the heparin drug in the market is a result of the problems faced by the drug manufacturers who are unable to cope up with the drastic hike in prices of the the APIs( Active pharmaceutical ingredients) which is majorly imported.

What is Heparin and why is it important at present?

Heparin is a blood thinner used as an anticoagulant. It is used to prevent blood clots after surgery, during dialysis, during blood transfusions, when collecting blood samples, or when a person is unable to move for a long time.

In the current pandemic situation too, heparin has an important role to play.The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare included the drug in its clinical management guidelines for the treatment of Covid-19 patients in the ICU.

Why NPPA has allowed the manufacturers to hike up the prices of heparin?

This step was taken to mitigate the shortage of the drug in the indian market.The Indian manufacturers were unwilling to continue the production of the drug simply because they could not cope up with the rising prices of the most important raw material to manufacture the drug i.e. API( Active pharmaceutical ingredients. APIs are the active ingredients contained in a drug which gives the drug it’s theraptic use.

The Sodium API of heparin is mostly imported from China. But due to the global outbreak of Corona virus China has also not able to manufacture enough APIs( because the country was under lockdown) the prices of these APIs has increased manifold. And so has the cost of manufacturing the drug in India is increased. That’s why some of the drug manufacturing companies were demanding hike in the prices of the drug. Some of the Indian companies marketing heparin products in India are Gland Pharma, Biological E, Samarth Lifesciences, Abbott Healthcare, Troikaa Pharmaceuticals and Celon Labs .

What role does China play here?

Chinese pharma companies were under lockdown restrictions for about 2 months which has led to the shortage of APIs in the global market

India heavily relies on China for various APIs used to manufacture drugs in India especially antibiotics and vitamins. But since the past three months most of the world countries including China have suffered a huge setback when it comes to their economy.

China was under lockdown for about 2 months in which all the industries were shut down. During this period China had not been producing anything in their factories. Though after the lockdown was lifted, China has taken up the momentum. But it will take time to get things back to normal.

Since Chinese drug manufacturers were not producing the APIs in the lockdown period there has been a shortage of APIs in the global market. But the demand of APIs is ever- increasing. The reducing supply and increasing demand has led to hike in the price of the Chinese APIs which is the distress of indian drug manufacturers. But the recent permit by the NPA to hike up the prices of heparin gave them a sigh of relief.

Some people might think that the hike in prices of Chinese APIs is due to the indo- China tensions along the LAC. But this is not true indeed. Industry associations have said that this has nothing to with indo- China tenisons along the border. The lockdown in China leading to the shut down of Chinese industries is the prime cause behind the hike of prices.

Will prices of other drugs also hike in future?

Yes, it is possible. If the demand is growing and if the supply is not met, oher drugs also may get expensive. And consequently the cost of treatment of Covid-19 patients. But it is too soon to say which drugs’s prices will hike and how much.

Starting a small business

Starting a small business is the best way to gain freedom. Although this statement is disputable, it has sense.

Why do people decide to become entrepreneurs? They are longing for independence. Small business helps one manage his time in the way he wants. He can produce the goods and services he likes. Finally, he is able to try to be responsible and creative.

Small business is very important for the economy of every state. Small entrepreneurs contribute into the state budget a lot. It is possible to say that the complex of small and middle firms provides the country with the same profit as big business does. In simple words, a prosperous state cannot survive without small business. It is impossible to defeat poverty without small business. Thus, if you have any genuine and uncommon ideas concerning the production of useful goods and services, establish your own small firm.

Starting up is not easy

Starting a small business is not an easy thing. Whether you’re doing something as simple as business paper writing as a business or as grand as running a construction company building skyscrapers, you should be psychologically and financially prepared to numerous challenges. Moreover, it is vital to know something about business, management and marketing.

To begin with, you should study the market in order to learn about the goods and services that are required by consumers. This factor is the crucial one. When you discover that people demand an item but no one has produced it yet, you have the best chances to conquer the chosen sector of the market. Secondly, you ought to think about the price and quality of your product.

There are two options. The foremost one is the production of high-quality and expensive goods that will serve long. The second option is related to consumerism. You produce poor-quality cheap goods and attract clients with the help of the lowest prices.

Sad to say but it is difficult to choose the best option. Many people are ready to pay a lot to possess a quality item. Others avoid paying a lot and prefer cheap products.

Create a business plan

Then, you should create your own business plan that will contain the entire information about the functioning of your firm. Think about the target groups of customers, production, logistics, storage and retail.

Apparently, you should produce and store your goods somewhere. Then, you will meet with such issues as revenue and expense. You will need to hire a few employees to run your business rewardingly. Without doubt, you will have to be selective, demanding and attentive in order to recruit the right people into your firm. Finally, you will meet the problem of rent, taxation, etc. A firm resembles a household. You should pay attention to the slightest problem, question and misunderstanding if you want to increase your income and develop your small firm into something bigger.

The ups and downs

As might be expected, starting a small business has many advantages and disadvantages. The most solid strong side is independence. You do not have to work for someone else. You work for your own profit. You possess the freedom of choice and actions. If you are not respected and appreciated at work, you can embody your original and amusing ideas in your own business.

Ambitious people always try to start a small business if they receive such an opportunity. You do not need to listen to the instructions and threats of your boss when you are late. At long last, you will earn more money. You are the boss and the entire profit is yours.

Nevertheless, there are many factors that cause problems to a novice entrepreneur. You should remember that independence is also responsibility. You are responsible for your firm, its prosperity and the wellbeing of your employees. Furthermore, you are responsible for the health and life of your customers who consume your products.

You are expected to know how to develop and improve your small company beneficially. You should know how to behave in case of crisis and unpredictable situations. You should be ready to wake up at night and spend the whole day at your firm in order to settle down all urgent problems and conflicts between employees. You should be a teacher, psychologist and negotiator who is able to resolve conflicts and motivate his staff practically.

Takeaway

Starting a small business is a challenging but beneficial idea. You are able to establish you own store, café, restaurant or bakery and embody your offbeat and splendid ideas there. On the other hand, you should be ready to resist numerous challenges and work hard for the protection and development of your business.

HOW DOES TRAVELLING AFFECT ONES PERSONALITY AND LIFE?

Mark Manson said:

“Travel is a fantastic self-development tool, because it extricates you from the values of your culture and shows you that another society can live with entirely different values and still function and not hate themselves. This exposure to different cultural values and metrics then forces you to reexamine what seems obvious in your own life and to consider that perhaps it is not necessarily the best way to live.”
Different people travel for different reasons. A Saleman travels round the world for his professional necessity: to meet different dealers, distributors, individual to secure orders. A professional photographer travels to capture the nature in raw form clicking the nature’s beauty, the rural emotions of simple life leading people or shooting the modern urban lifestyle. The travel addicts travel as tourist to view the different places and people created minutely by the greatest creative artist of this Universe: The Almighty!
Often a person who frequently travels realize themselves in unfamiliar positions and dilemmas which creates their own problem appears like nothing.
Learning is a continuous process. We learn from books, internet, school, but can also learn from experience. For a Balance Education, Travel is a vital part. Moreover, Adventure is acquired from Travel.

Culture is another aspect of life that has been affected by travelling. Today, different languages are taught in colleges and universities. Students who enroll to study these languages have the desire to travel to those countries which are dominated by the respective languages. As suggested by Andrews (2013), it’s more interesting if you are able to communicate in their language when you are a visitor. Another cultural practice that has been affected with travelling is food and mode of dressing (Bremer Mathew, 2018). Moreover, when you travel to a certain country for reasons such as studying, you will definitely get used to the food of that country. For example, some foods are used due to certain environmental condition. It’s ironical to wear heavy clothes in Saharan desert. Similarly it’s difficult to put on light clothes in some regions of the Northern Hemisphere during winter.

In conclusion, travelling can make those who xenophobic towards some people to change their perspective. As viewed by different psychologists, many people who have travelled the world tend to behave differently compared to their prior behavior. According to research, some characteristics can be acquired through environmental factors.

How to make a better morning?

A lovely good afternoon to everyone soo, here i am a first user and this is my first post that would be my first choice as a topic to start a day. As i was looking after these quarantine days people are getting lethargic and working online these days. So here some points that you should kept in your mind:

While getting up have some stretching. Also most important is be happy.

Get a warm class of water with honey so that it will give a cure to your stomach and you’ll feel fresh.

While you sitting and taking an online classes so just rotate your legs so that no fat is stored in your thighs. Also rotate your wrist by this you’ll be fit and also your work been done.

MP Class X Result: Girls trump boys in overall pass percentage

Girls have recorded a pass percentage of 65.87 per cent against 60.09 per cent for boys among regular students. This year, a total of 8.93 lakh regular and 2.04 lakh private students appeared for the exams,” an official said.

Pages: 12

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On human health

On the environment

What Can You Do to Prevent Water Pollution?

With your actions

With your voice

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What is a blog?

A is a type of website that focuses mainly on written content, also known as blog posts. In popular culture we most often hear about news blogs or celebrity blog sites, but as you’ll see in this guide, you can start a successful blog on just about any topic imaginable.

How to Start a Blog in 6 Steps

Step 1: Pick a blog name

How To Start A Blog In 2020An Easy Free Step-By-Step Beginner’sGuide To Create A Blog In 20 Minutes

What is a blog anyway?

Should you start a blog?

How to Start a Blog in 6 Steps

Step 1: Pick a blog name

See if your blog name is available

Step 2: Get your blog online

How To Start A Blog In 2020An Easy Free Step-By-Step Beginner’sGuide To Create A Blog In 20 Minutes

What is a blog anyway?

Should you start a blog?

How to Start a Blog in 6 Steps

Step 1: Pick a blog name

See if your blog name is available

Step 2: Get your blog online

Step 3: Customize your blog

Logging in

Changing your blog design

Step 4: How to write a blog post & publish it

Step 5: Promote your blog

How To Start A Blog In 2020An Easy Free Step-By-Step Beginner’sGuide To Create A Blog In 20 Minutes

What is a blog anyway?

Should you start a blog?

How to Start a Blog in 6 Steps

Step 1: Pick a blog name

See if your blog name is available

Step 2: Get your blog online

1. Click here for the special $2.75 per month rate on BlueHost and then click “get started now”.

2. Select your plan. I recommend that new bloggers get the basic plan. Click “Select” to choose your plan.

3. Type in your domain name in the left box and then click “next” to start the registration process.

4. Fill out your billing details on the registration page.

5. You will also need to choose your hosting package and options.

6. You will then need to create your account and password.

Step 3: Customize your blog

Logging in

Changing your blog design

Step 4: How to write a blog post & publish it

Publishing Your Blog

Content That Should be on Your Blog

How to write a great blog post

Step 5: Promote your blog

Alert Your Inner Circle

Use Social Media

Comment on Other Blogs

Engage with Your Readers

Collaborate

Create an Email List

Submit to Search Engines

SEO

Step 6: Make money blogging

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Build a Strong Foundation

1. Expand your vocabulary

2. Improve your pronunciation

3. Learn the natural flow of English

Techniques to Improve English Speaking Skills

4. Speech shadowing

5. Self-talk

6. Think in English

7. Retell a story in English

Frequently Practice to Improve Your English Speaking Skills

How To Start A Blog In 2020An Easy Free Step-By-Step Beginner’s
Guide To Create A Blog In 20 Minutes

How To Start A Blog In 2020An Easy Free Step-By-Step Beginner’s
Guide To Create A Blog In 20 Minutes

How To Start A Blog In 2020An Easy Free Step-By-Step Beginner’s
Guide To Create A Blog In 20 Minutes