Monthly Archives: October 2020

How Better Health Can Boost Productivity

You already know that your physical and mental health are important, but did you know they can also influence your productivity? Your health will impact your subjective quality of life, and possibly affect your lifespan—most people know this already—but it can also affect how you work and function on a day-to-day basis.

Fortunately, there are many strategies that can help you stay healthy and productive.

How Employers Can Support Better Health

If you’re an employer reading this article, you’ll want to improve the health of your employees in any way you can. Not only will this keep your employees feeling happier, more satisfied, and more secure, but it will also make them more productive.

These are just a few key strategies:

  • Provide health benefits. If your business can afford it, provide some kind of health benefits to employees. That could mean offering employees a robust health insurance policy, or it could mean something simpler, like subsidizing gym memberships.
  • Invest in workers’ compensation insurance. In many areas, workers’ compensation insurance is legally required. But even if it isn’t, your business should have workers’ compensation insurance in place. This will protect employees if they’re ever injured on the job.
  • Be proactive in prioritizing employee health. It’s also important to maintain employee health as a top priority, and be proactive in responding to employee health matters. For example, if you see someone sick, send them home to recover.

The Benefits of Health for Productivity

Better health can influence your productivity in many different ways:

  • Fewer sick days. Americans take an average of 4.4 sick days each year, with some outliers taking weeks of sick leave. That may not seem like a lot, but repeated sick days can sharply reduce the productivity of your team. If your employees are healthier, they’ll take fewer sick days, and you’ll have a greater percentage of employees at work at any given time.
  • Better physical capabilities. Healthy employees are more physically capable, which is especially important in jobs that involve manual labor. They’ll be able to lift more, stay on their feet longer, and accomplish more tasks throughout the day.
  • Feelings of wellness and energy. If you’ve ever felt the subjective differences between being sick and being healthy, you know that being healthy can grant you feelings of overall wellness and energy. Workers who feel more energized and better about themselves will naturally be inclined to do better work.
  • Confidence and optimism. Being healthier, especially on a physical level, can make a person feel more confident in themselves, and feel more optimistic about life in general. This allows them to bring a good attitude to the workplace, and take pride in what they’re doing.
  • Happiness and life satisfaction. It should be no surprise to learn that healthy people tend to be happier and more satisfied with life. When employees are in a better place, physically and mentally, they’ll carry that happiness into all areas of their life. That means they’ll feel better about their job and status, they’ll have better relationships, and of course, they’ll be able to perform better too.
  • Communal benefits. Of course, there are also communal benefits to enjoy from healthier employees. Fewer sick people at work means the illness will be less likely to spread to other people. And people practicing good habits, like eating healthy and exercising at lunch, can be contagious.

Easy Ways to Improve Health

If you’re interested in improving health directly, whether it’s your own health or the health of your employees, these are the most important steps:

  • Make better eating choices. Much of our health is derived from the types and quantities of food we eat. For many of us, eating smaller portions is an ideal way to stave off obesity and the health complications related to it. Otherwise, try to eat more fruits and vegetables, and stay away from sugary and processed foods.
  • Exercise daily. Physical exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It can help you stay in good physical shape, lower your susceptibility to a host of illnesses, and help you feel better mentally as well. Try to exercise on a daily basis.
  • Practice preventative care. Finally, invest in preventative care. Using ergonomic furniture, occasionally visiting your primary care physician, and taking action on health problems early can all reduce your vulnerabilities to health issues.

Better health is strongly correlated with higher productivity, and it’s easy to see why. When employees are healthier, both in body and in mind, they’re able to focus on their work and do a better job. Keep health as a top priority, whether you’re managing a team of workers or are just trying to do your best work in your own position.

Top 5 Reasons Aluminum is a Great Recyclable Material

Recycling is a complicated process and can cause confusion for many eco-minded people who just want to do their best. One thing you can be sure of is the power of recycling aluminum. Those cans in your recycling bin are made from a powerfully eco-friendly material if recycled. Here are the top 5 reasons why aluminum is a great recyclable material.

Continuous Recycling

Of all the aluminum ever produced, 75 percent of it is still in use today. That is because recycling aluminum is 100 percent recyclable and it can be completely repurposed. 

The Most Valuable Thing in Your Recycling Bin

Aluminum is by far the most valuable of recyclable materials. In one year, over $800 million dollars is spent on recycled aluminum by the aluminum industry. Other materials, such as glass and plastic, are much less valuable because they are less efficient to recycle.

100 Percent Recyclable

As a material, aluminum is 100 percent recyclable. That means that it can be completely reclaimed and repurposed during the recycling process. This is much more efficient than glass or plastic recycling.

Three Times Better Than the Alternatives

Did you know you can get aluminum canned water? One of these is made of about 70 percent recycled material, which is three times more than the average plastic water bottle or glass water bottle.

Fast Turn Around

An aluminum beverage can packaging Los Angeles CA center can recycle cans and return them to a store shelf in as little as 60 days. The recycling process is clean, quick and efficient, so there is little downtime between you recycling your cans and being used again. This means less new aluminum needs to be created.

Recycling aluminum is easy, sustainable and efficient, so make sure you are recycling all your aluminum cans and other aluminum products.

3 Ways to Eat Healthier While Dining Out

If you’re trying to lose weight, maintain a healthy diet or simply care for your body, dining out can certainly derail even the best of intentions. Most restaurants are full of unhealthy choices that can make it feel impossible to stick to your goals. However, if you plan ahead and choose wisely, you can enjoy a great meal out without sacrificing nutrition, wellness and self-care.

Search for Restaurants With Organic Options

When choosing a place to eat out, look for locations that offer organic food St Louis MO. Choosing items that are naturally sourced and made with wholesome ingredients can help you feel good about what you’re ordering. Restaurants that provide this type of option are also more likely to feature healthy dishes that are still crafted to be flavorful and enticing.

Keep Portion Control in Mind

A fresh green salad or grilled lean protein is an excellent choice for your body. Still, even healthy options can sabotage your fitness goals when the portions are out of control, especially if those items are accented with tasty dressings, sauces or toppings. Too much of a good thing isn’t actually good, so order smaller sizes or set aside part of your meal to take home for later.

Maintain a Healthy Balance Between Fitness and Fun

Dining out should be about the overall experience. Remember that it’s OK to splurge every so often and enjoy a good burger or a tasty dessert. If you are going to indulge in some options that aren’t necessarily the healthiest choice, try to balance them out by sticking with water or swapping a starchy side for a salad or veggies. Finally, eating out shouldn’t become a frequent habit if you’re trying to prioritize your health and your budget.

When you’re trying to stick to your health and nutrition goals, you can still savor a meal out with family and friends. Plan ahead and make smarter choices so you can feel good about your order and enjoy your meal out.

Top Perks of Incorporating Yoga into Your Fitness Routine

Yoga is a popular workout routine that offers physical, mental, and spiritual benefits through flexibility, exercise, and meditation. Although many people think that engaging in yoga is as easy as following a YouTube tutorial or a yogi in a classroom, yoga skills must be mastered over time.

The good thing is that fitness enthusiasts can incorporate yoga into their fitness regimen and gain skills gradually. This comes with a plethora of perks when incorporated well. Both ordinary fitness enthusiasts and professional athletes can benefit from this arrangement. Here are some advantages of incorporating yoga in your workout routine.

Gain More Strength

Yoga is great for gaining strength when the right exercises are incorporated. According to fitness enthusiasts, yoga is an additional way to engage in body workouts. Having a 30-minute yoga session by the end of your training will work out all body muscles in a way you have never experienced before.

It engages the core muscles in an excellent way. The secret is in being consistent and prolonging the duration of the workout to feel the impact. Core strength is what improves your posture and balance, which is necessary for the success of other workouts such as weightlifting and gym equipment workouts.

Bodybuilders who use steroids from MR Pharmaceutical and incorporate yoga in their workout routines at the same time usually enjoy better fitness results.

Burn More Fat

Yoga is a great cardio exercise when enough time is allocated. It might not match jogging, running, or cycling, but it burns fat in the body and optimizes the heart rate. Better still, yoga workouts increase your metabolism just like any other workout would and aid in the burning of calories and body fat. Therefore, you should incorporate it every day and make sure that you do not reduce your other workouts.

Get Better Flexibility

Yoga is an amazing way to increase flexibility in your fitness regimen. The majority of yoga workouts involve stretching, which makes your joints function better. Some even involve stretching, curling, coiling, and any other movements and then holding in position.

Over time, yoga makes stiff and tight muscles and joints more flexible. This is what many athletes need to become better in training and engaging in their actual sports. Yoga is responsible for preventing injuries caused by stiff muscles and joints in those athletes that practice it.

Stress Relief and Relaxation

Yoga involves a lot of meditation, which is good for psychological health. All you need is to make sure that you have a meditation session in your fitness schedule if yoga is included. If your nervous system has been overstretched by an extreme workout, wrapping up with a yoga session and some meditation will cool your body down very well. It is time to reflect on what you have done so far and what you really want to achieve.

Conclusion

See, yoga has numerous perks that you can experience when you incorporate it into your fitness routine. In itself, it is a form of exercise with the additional benefit of meditation. Continue using different yoga moves and styles to avoid monotony and boredom.

 

Things to Know About Reputable Dog Breeders

If you have searched through shelters and not found the dog for you, you may have decided to purchase a purebred dog. However, you want to find a breeder who cares about you and your puppy. You may search for specific breeder types, such as show line German Shepherd breeders, but be sure to do your research on each breeder you find.

Volume

A responsible breeder is not a puppy mill, cranking out puppies like a factory. You want a breeder who cares for the dogs and gives them time to rest between litters. In addition, you want dog parents who are part of the family. They should be energetic and friendly with anyone who visits the breeder’s home. The home should be clean and orderly.

Because responsible breeders care for their dogs as family members, they may not have puppies ready for you when you are ready to purchase them. Therefore, these breeders may offer to place you on a waiting list for the next litter. They should also be able to tell you when a litter is expected.

Selective

Top breeders are selective in their clientele. They will not sell a puppy to anyone who asks or walks up. They will interview you while you are interviewing them. Because they have the best interests of their dogs in mind, they want to ensure their puppies go to good homes. Don’t be surprised if you are asked probing questions about your home, life and past pet ownership.

Resources

Reputable breeders may focus on one or two dog breeds, and they should be able to share extensive information about the breed. You can ask about their physical characteristics, temperament, health issues and any special considerations they have.

Because they want what’s best for their dogs, these breeders may offer you support and state that you can call with any questions throughout the dog’s life.

If you are searching for a dog with a pedigree, make sure you find a breeder who places you and your dog’s happiness and best interests above profits.

Landlords: How to Protect Your Health and Safety Throughout the Coronavirus Pandemic

Landlords frequently have to deal with people in-person throughout the course of their duties. For example, showing units and making repairs require in-person meetings, often multiple times. Landlords filing lawsuits or responding to lawsuits also must show up to the courthouse in person. Thanks to the threat of COVID-19, these meetings have been mostly put on pause.

Although landlords are considered “essential business,” experts have placed strict limitations on all in-person gatherings, and for landlords, this rule is hard to follow.

If you’re a landlord, here are several ways you can protect your health and safety while the world rides out the COVID-19 pandemic.

  1. Hire a property management company

The most obvious way to stay safe is by not interacting with tenants at all. As a landlord, that’s not possible unless you hire a property management company.

When you hire a property management company, you won’t have to come into direct contact with tenants because the company will handle everything for you. For example, Green Residential in Katy, Texas has been serving landlords and tenants for years and handles all landlord duties, including things that require meeting in-person, like filling vacancies.

  1. Create professional 360-degree virtual showings

Until the COVID-19 pandemic is under control, open houses will be largely prohibited or at least limited. It’s not easy hosting an open house for people when everyone has to stand 6 feet apart and speak through a mask that muffles everything they say.

The only other way to show a vacancy in-person is by individual appointment. That’s not a bad thing. Many real estate agents say personal appointments are more likely to produce serious buyers than open houses. However, virtual tours have much to offer.

While a virtual showing will keep you and your leads safe, a virtual tour can actually be considered part of your lead generation strategy. By allowing potential leads to view your vacancies online first, you’ll eliminate leads that aren’t interested. Pictures don’t show everything, and some leads will pick up enough information from a virtual tour to know the property isn’t what they want.

By offering a virtual tour on your website, you can effectively filter out some leads who aren’t a match without wasting time and risking infection by meeting in person. You can still show units in person, but consider virtual tours as part of your initial lead filtering method.

Ready to create your first virtual showing? Check out the options published on Wondershare for several ways to create professional virtual tours.

  1. Implement stricter screening measures for all appointments

If you’re going to meet anyone in person to collect rent, perform repairs, or show a unit, create strict screening measures to follow without exception. For example, don’t meet with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or is experiencing symptoms. You may also want to avoid meeting with people who have traveled to another country recently.

  1. Use your web forms to disqualify leads

If you’re collecting leads through a web form, you’ve probably set up questions to qualify your leads based on income, credit score, and readiness to buy. Using your form to disqualify leads is equally important, especially when you don’t want to waste time meeting leads unnecessarily who might be infected with the coronavirus.

Your web form’s questions should be set up in a way that allows you to filter out leads who don’t qualify. For example, instead of asking leads to write in their estimated credit score, set up a drop-down menu with score ranges. Make one of the selections begin with a score just under what you’ll accept. For example, if you require a minimum score of 650, make your drop-down selections read like this:

  • 701+
  • 650-700
  • 400-649
  • No credit

With selections formatted this way, you can automatically filter out leads who select the last two options. They don’t qualify, so by filtering them out, you’ll never have to sort through your web forms to figure that out.

If you haven’t studied lead qualification strategies from professional marketers, you’re probably not getting your maximum potential results.

During the coronavirus pandemic, meticulously qualifying your leads will mean less meetings in person and therefore less risk to your health.

Be gentle with your tenants at this time

Take care and be gentle with your tenants. Many are stressing about money, unemployment, and social restrictions, and might be a little on edge. For the smoothest ride through this pandemic, be professional at all times, pick your battles, and know when to walk away.

 

 

 

 

Fighting Cancer

Thе thought of having cancer іѕ a scary but a rеаl live роѕѕіbіlіtу. As wе gеt older, either уоu or ѕоmеоnе уоu knоw may соntасt thаt аwful disease саllеd саnсеr. Thеrе іѕ a ѕmаll аmоunt оf соnѕоlіdаtіоn in knоwіng thаt саnсеr trеаtmеnt сеntеrѕ саn bе fоund thrоughоut thе world in countries such as France that has a long history of cancer research thanks to notable people such as Maria Sklodowska Curie who greatly contributed to cancer research before her untimely death from radiation poisoning in 1934. The truth is that іt’ѕ very nеrvе racking tо hаvе a periodic рhуѕісаl еxаm bу your dосtоr аnd роtеntіаllу bе diagnosed with cancer. Luckily,
a cancer hospital in Paris is there to offer a lot of options to those affected by cancer.

Thеrе аrе mаnу dіffеrеnt fоrmѕ of cancer, dереndіng оn your gеndеr, thаt are looming іn thе shadows. Thе mеdісаl term fоr саnсеr іѕ malignant nеорlаѕm. It’ѕ a disease where a сеll group divides bеуоnd nоrmаl lіmіtѕ (unсоntrоllеd grоwth), іnvаdеѕ оr dеѕtrоуѕ adjacent bоdу tissue (іnvаѕіоn) аnd ѕоmеtіmеѕ spreads tо оthеr bоdу lосаtіоnѕ vіа blооd оr lymph (mеtаѕtаѕіѕ). Aссоrdіng tо a саnсеr treatment center, a bеnіgn tumоr іѕ differentiated from these mаlіgnаnt саnсеr рrореrtіеѕ bесаuѕе they are ѕеlf-lіmіtеd аnd dо not іnvаdе or mеtаѕtаѕіzе.

Dіаgnоѕіѕ оf саnсеr typically rеԛuіrеѕ оbtаіnіng a tissue ѕресіmеn frоm thе раtіеnt bу a dосtоr. A hіѕtоlоgіс exam of the tіѕѕuе ѕресіmеn is performed by a раthоlоgіѕt to dеtеrmіnе іf саnсеr is present. If you’re dіаgnоѕеd wіth a form of cancer thеn you сеrtаіnlу want to contact a саnсеr treatment сеntеr thrоugh уоur dосtоr аnd obtain thе trеаtmеnt thаt іѕ rіght for уоu. Many of thеѕе treatment centers such as Institut Curie, which is a cancer research facility as well as a treatment center in France, have thе аbіlіtу to offer either or both trаdіtіоnаl аnd hоlіѕtіс trеаtmеntѕ. In this mаnnеr, the сеntеr can trеаt thе саnсеr аnd also the раtіеnt’ѕ body, spirit аnd mind. Sоmе оf thе treatment сеntеrѕ conduct оngоіng research whеrе the раtіеntѕ саn раrtісіраtе іn vаrіоuѕ clinical trіаlѕ іf thеу ԛuаlіfу.

Critical Alert Systems To Include in Your Home

For most people, the uncertainty surrounding life at the moment may cause feelings of anxiety and alarm. If you are feeling anxious in this time of chaos and upheaval, your home may be your refuge and the only place you feel truly safe. You can make your home even more secure with alarm systems and sensors that alert you if anything is untoward. Here are four types of alarms to help you get started.

1. Family Dog

For thousands of years the family dog has been the first line of defense against intruders. You can enjoy the same sense of security when you have a furry pet watching your house for you.

2. Sump Alerts

If you have a basement, one of the most important alarms you can have in that area is the sump pump signal. The alarm will let you know that water is coming into your basement with a high-pitched hum or a sharp screech. Protect your family with a battery backup sump pump Toronto for extra protection.

3. Camera Notifications

There are many types of intruder alert systems on the market, and you must judge for yourself which is right for the security of your property. However, protecting your loved ones with a camera notification system that dings when anyone is at your front or back door can help you feel safe. It is well known that most burglars will shy away from houses with home alarms.

4. Gas Alarms

The newest gas detectors can alert you to hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, smoke, and natural gas. By adding one of the leak detector alarms, you can create another layer of protection to your family’s security.

You can establish a safety envelope around your home by adding a few alarm and alert systems. Choose one from the list above to begin today.

5 Favorite Snacks in Pittsburgh

Food is a lot more about mere sustenance. It says something about the culture in a particular place. The city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a diverse city with a rich history which is reflected in the snacks that people create, enjoy, and share with others. Here are a few of the comestibles that locals feel are most representative of the city. Some may be available from a Pittsburgh commissary.

1. Clark Bar

A Clark Bar is a candy bar consisting of peanut butter and toffee on the inside and chocolate on the outside. It was discontinued in 2018 but is scheduled to make a comeback this year thanks to a rival candy-maker buying the rights to the name and recipe. The Clark Bar was developed in Pittsburgh by David L. Clark, an Irish immigrant, in 1886.

2. Pittsburgh Popcorn

In addition to the movie-style butter flavor, Pittsburgh Popcorn is also available in other special flavors, including dill pickle, buffalo wings, and Wisconsin cheddar cheese for those who prefer savory and “white chocolate lepra-corn” or chocolate chunky caramel for those with a sweet tooth.

3. Smiley Cookies

Eat ‘N Park Restaurant refers to itself as “The Place for Smiles,” and this motto is reflected in its signature dessert, the Smiley Cookie. The sugar cookies come in different shapes but all carry the same smile in the icing.

4. Burnt Almond Torte

Another dessert unique to Pittsburgh is Prantl’s Bakery burnt almond torte. Dubbed the “world’s best cake,” it is available in both full size and individual servings.

5. Pierogi

No discussion of Pittsburgh-specific cuisine would be complete without a mention of the pierogi. Brought to the U.S. by Ukrainian and Polish immigrants, pierogi consist of a savory or sweet filling wrapped up in unleavened dough to form a dumpling and then boiled. They are considered a Pittsburgh staple.