Monthly Archive for December, 2021

Helping You Keep To Your New Year’s Resolutions

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George
on December 29, 2021
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The saying goes “new year new you” and to help ourselves we set up goals called New Year Resolutions, but over 25% of people quit their resolutions after just 2 weeks! We all like to think that this will be the year that will be different, but how can we make that a reality? Here are some tips on how to make your resolutions a reality. 

Keep A Diary 

Let’s say your goal is to go for a run once a week, by keeping a journal or diary you can keep track of when and what you did and after seeing that you’ve done it for a couple of weeks it will motivate you to continue. 

Try with a friend 

If you share a resolution with your friend, partner or with you family, then you can keep each other in check and motivate each other to achieve your goals. 

Make it realistic 

You can’t make miracles happen, if you don’t play the violin your goal shouldn’t be to play at the 02 arena after a few weeks. You motivation will go and you will give up. The trick is to be realistic and give yourself short term goals that lead to that cherished long-term goal. In that way you are much more likely to keep on track. 

Have fun! 

The point of resolutions is to develop yourself but also to have fun. If your resolution is about something that you enjoy doing, such as perhaps learning an instrument, then it won’t really feel like a chore and you will have the motivation to continue to learn. 

Give Your Liver a Break With The Dry January Challenge

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George
on December 22, 2021
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After festive celebrations throughout December, January is perhaps when we should be giving our livers a break and time to recover. Dry January is an annual event which challenges people to go the full 31 days of January without drinking any alcohol, in an attempt to demonstrate the benefits of not drinking. 

It’s run by a charity called Alcohol Change UK which promotes Dry January as a way to spread awareness as well as raise money for the charity itself. In 2021 6.6 million people took part and reported amazing benefits; including 86% of participants saving money, which, after Christmas certainly wouldn’t be the worst idea.

 

In a year, the average household spends close to £1000 on alcohol. Imagine all the things that you could buy with that amount of money. Another benefit, reported by 70% of participants, was being able to sleep longer, without disturbance, and 66% of those involved reported feeling a lot more energised throughout the month.

The UK has a drinking culture, meaning alcohol is engrained into many of our activities and social events. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it isn’t something that needs to be the case either. Alcohol Change UK are concerned that people don’t fully understand the risks that can come with over-consumption. On Average, a man in the UK drinks nearly 10 litres of pure alcohol a year; the equivalent of 18 units per week, well above the recommended 14 units

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Visit Alcohol Change UK for more information where you can even download an app to help you keep motivated and see how far you can go without having a drop of alcohol. Everyone has a New Year’s resolution. Why not make a Dry January one of yours as a great way to start your year?

  

Veganuary: Why Not Try Something New?

Published
by
George
on December 15, 2021
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We’re always encouraged to eat healthier and think about where our food comes from, and ‘Veganuary’ gives us the perfect opportunity to do so. Whilst you may not want to become fully vegan, it is still a chance to challenge yourself and try out new and creative recipes that you may have never come across before. 

Basically Veganuary challenges you to go the full 31 days of January eating vegan, meaning no meat, dairy and any animal products such as honey. You can go even further if you wish and stop wearing leather or any other material created from animals for the whole month.

Currently around 79 million people worldwide identify as vegan and there are many reasons people decide to go vegan or try Veganuary, the most prominent one being to improve animal welfare. Concern for other species is not the only reason to adopt a vegan lifestyle however; people choose to be vegan because the diet can also boost your health and help the environment. A vegan regime can help those with some food allergies, or it could be just as simple as wanting to try new foods and recipes.

Some changes can be really easy: Oat milk over cow’s milk, eating Oreos over a chocolate digestive (yes, Oreos are vegan!), or having bean/potato burgers over meat burgers alongside so much more. 

If you are struggling don’t worry, many restaurants and food outlets now include a vegan menu including Greggs, McDonalds, KFC and Subway, so if you’re in a need for a quick lunch you can always treat yourself.

Instead of just buying vegan sausages or vegan bacon, though, you could try making whole new original vegan recipes for yourself, and use new flavours to expand your taste. There’s so much to try. To find out more on how to take part check the Veganuary website and even if you don’t end up becoming vegan or stop halfway through the month, at least you experienced something new and may have found something different that you wish to incorporate in your normal life. 

 

 

Working From Home: How To Make Sure You Have The Skills Needed

Published
by
George
on December 8, 2021
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As 2022 begins and with our world having changed after the Covid-19 pandemic, it is time to look into the future and make sure we are kept up to date with our necessary skills to succeed from the comfort of our homes.

One in four firms are allowing their workers to continue working from home, whether that be full time or mixing in office work as well, meaning we need to make sure we continue to develop our skills so we don’t fall behind. 

Without the office environment and co-workers being beside you to help, it can feel like you are not ready to work alone, but don’t worry. With these helpful tips, you will be back to efficient work in no time.

“Practice makes perfect.” 

One way to keep ahead is to make sure you are using the software as much as possible allowing you to remember how to perform a task easier each time. 

Going step-by-step learning new things and trying them over and over again will help you develop your skills further and each time you try you will see a noticeable improvement, motivating you to continue practising.

Don’t give up, you can’t be perfect after your first couple of tries, you’ll get the results you want just remember to take your time learning.

Try Something New 

Trying something new on the software will also help you keep up to date. When you try something new it builds your confidence in aspects you have already mastered as they will feel easier compared to what you’re trying as well as you also gaining new skills. 

It also gives you a break from a task that may not be going so well, so by trying something new you are refreshing your brain so that when you return hopefully you won’t be stuck anymore.

Get help 

If you’re struggling and need help, remember it’s ok to ask. Whether that be enrolling on a course or asking someone you know, having someone help you get to grips with the software can make a massive difference. 

If you are looking for some professional help, check out our Adobe or Microsoft courses to keep updated on the software.  

5 Ways to Celebrate Thank You Month

Published
by
George
on December 1, 2021
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“Manners Cost Nothing” is something you probably heard a lot as a child, and as we get older, we start to appreciate the simple things, such as a “thanks” after helping someone out. 

In some parts of the world, January marks ‘Thank You Month’, a time to make sure our manners are still at their very best. And at the same time that you show gratitude for what others do for you with that simple “thank you”, you can take time to acknowledge why you are thankful. More than that, you can try to do something, however small, for others and give back to the community, as a simple act of kindness can go a long way.

There are many ways you can take part in the month, and getting involved can have some real, positive effects on both you and your community.

Getting Involved

  1. You could start a thank you journal, in which each day of January you write something that you are thankful for. You may be surprised at how much there actually is to be thankful about and you can start appreciating the little things in life.
  2. Reach out to someone who is there for you and thank them for something they did, or for just being a part of your life. Reassuring and showing gratitude to the people who are there for you is important, as making them feel appreciated shows them they are doing the right thing.
  3. Make sure to thank people who provide services, whether it be a teacher, a cashier or someone serving your breakfast at a café; hearing it will make their day and it doesn’t cost you anything.
  4. Give other people a reason to be thankful by providing acts of kindness to strangers and friends alike, it will brighten their day and yours, and makes it more likely for that person to pass on the kindness to a new stranger.
  5. Did you know that being thankful can actually produce dopamine, a chemical released in your brain when you are having a pleasant experience. Thanking someone can actually lift your mood and make you feel happier!